College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Luke 18 - Introduction
Butler's Comments
Chapter Eighteen
THE SON OF MAN WARNING AGAINST WORLDLY-MINDEDNESS
IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:
1.
Will God, like the petulant judge of the parable, be worn down by our persistence and finally give in to our prayers?
2.
What is wrong with being thankful that one is not an extortioner, unjust or an adulterer? Wouldn-'t God be pleased with that?
3.
How could Jesus turn over the kingdom of God to children? Isn-'t that unwise?
4.
Why would Jesus rebuke the rich young ruler for calling Him good?
5.
Is Jesus-' espousing the modern doctrine of righteousness equals riches in Luke 18:29-30?
6.
Who hid from the twelve the meaning of Jesus-' prediction of His death?
7.
Why did the crowd rebuke the blind beggar and tell him to quit crying out to Jesus? Were they so hardhearted they refused the man healing?
Applebury's Comments
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Outline
A.
Luke recorded two more of Jesus-' parables on prayer (Luke 18:1-14).
1.
The Widow and the Judge (Luke 18:1-8).
a)
The facts of the parable (Luke 18:1-5).
(1)
Its purpose: To show the disciples that they ought always to pray and not lose heart (1).
(2)
The unrighteous judge: He claimed that he neither feared God nor regarded man.
(3)
The widow: She kept coming asking that her case be heard.
(4)
The decision: Because the judge was being worn out by her persistence, he finally heard the case.
b)
The lessons of the parable (Luke 18:6-8).
(1)
God answers speedily: In contrast to the unrighteous judge, God will speedily avenge those who call on Him.
(2)
What about that kind of faith? When the Son of Man comes, will He find that kind of faith on earth?
2.
The Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14).
a)
The facts of the parable (Luke 18:9-13).
(1)
It concerned those who were confident that they were righteous, but discredited everyone else.
(2)
The Pharisee and the publican went to the temple to pray.
(a)
The Pharisee's prayer.
i)
He stood and prayed to God.
ii)
He thanked God that he was not like the restextortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
iii)
He told God about his works: I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all I get.
(b)
The publican's prayer.
i)
He stood afar off and wouldn-'t lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast as he prayed.
ii)
Humbly, he said, God be merciful to me the sinner.
b)
The lessons of the parable, (Luke 18:14)
(1)
Jesus said the publican went down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee.
(2)
He added, Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
B.
Luke told about parents who brought little children to Jesus (Luke 18:15-17).
1.
The attitude of the disciples: The disciples rebuked the parents who wanted Jesus to touch their children (15).
2.
The attitude of Jesus:
a)
He said, Let the little children come to me and do not forbid them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.
b)
Then He added, Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter into it.
C.
Luke told about the Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18:18-30).
1.
His conversation with Jesus (Luke 18:18-23).
a)
His question: Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 18:18).
b)
Jesus-' answer: Why call me good; one is goodGod. You know the commandments
(1)
Do not commit adultery.
(2)
Do not kill.
(3)
Do not steal.
(4)
Do not bear false witness.
(5)
Honor your father and mother.
c)
His response: All these things I have observed from my youth.
d)
Jesus-' challenge: You lack one thing: sell all you have and give to the poor and you will have treasures in heaven, and come, follow me.
e)
His rejection: When he heard this, he was very sorrowful, for he was very rich.
2.
Jesus-' lesson that grew out of this incident (Luke 18:24-30).
a)
Salvation and riches (Luke 18:24-27).
(1)
A difficult thing: How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God.
(2)
An impossible thing: It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich manone who makes riches his godto enter into the kingdom of God.
(3)
All things are possible with God: Who can be saved? Jesus said that things that are impossible with men are possible with God.
b)
Eternal life (Luke 18:28-30).
(1)
The condition: Peter said, We have left all our things and followed you.
(2)
The reward: Jesus said, There is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who shall not receive manifold more in this time and in the age to come, eternal life.
D.
Luke told of Jesus-' effort to get the twelve to become aware of what awaited Him at Jerusalem (Luke 18:31-34).
1.
He told them that all things the prophets had written about the Son of Man would be accomplished (31).
2.
He mentioned these things in detail (Luke 18:32-33).
a)
He would be delivered up to the Gentiles.
b)
He would be mocked, shamefully treated, and spit upon.
c)
He would be scourged and killed.
d)
The third day, He would arise again.
3.
The disciples understood none of what He said (Luke 18:34).
E.
Luke told about healing the blind beggar at Jericho (Luke 18:35-43).
1.
The blind man's pitiful request (Luke 18:35-39).
a)
He heard the crowds going by and asked what it meant.
b)
He was told that it was Jesus of Nazareth.
c)
He called for mercy.
(1)
He said, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
(2)
The crowds told him to be quiet.
(3)
But he cried out the more and said, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
2.
Jesus-' merciful answer (Luke 18:40-42).
a)
Jesus had the blind man brought to Him and asked, What will you have me do for you?
b)
He said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
c)
Jesus answered, Receive your sight! Your faith has saved you.
3.
The effect of the miracle (Luke 18:43).
a)
Immediately he received his sight.
b)
He followed Jesus, glorifying God.
c)
When the people saw it, they gave glory to God.
Summary
Luke's emphasis on the prayer life of Jesus is seen in two more parables which are given in this chapter. The parable of the Widow and the Judge was given to teach the disciples that they ought always to pray and never lose heart. Will the Son of Man find that kind of faith on earth when He comes again?
The parable of the Pharisee and the Publican reveals the necessity of humility on the part of these who pray to God for mercy.
In the busy ministry of Jesus, the disciples tried to keep parents from bringing their children to Jesus that He might touch them and bless them. But Jesus took this as an occasion to teach the important lesson that it is necessary to receive the kingdom of God in the spirit of the little child. Without that purity and trust, no one could enter the kingdom.
The story of the Rich Young Ruler presents another lesson on the theme of Eternal Life. The young man ran to Jesus and knelt before Him and asked, Good Teacher, what shall I do to have eternal life? When Jesus told him to keep the commandments, quoting those that had to do with man's duties to man, he said, I have done this since I was a boy. But there was one thing that he lacked, his duty to God. He was a man of great wealth; gold was evidently his god. Jesus told him to sell all and he would have treasures in heaven. Then He added, Come, follow me. What he needed was to worship Jesus as Lord, not gold. There is no other possible way for man to have eternal life. The apostles had left all to follow Him. Jesus said that in this life they would have manifold more and in the age to come they would have eternal life.
Luke significantly followed the lesson on eternal life with Jesus-' effort to get His disciples to become aware of what was to happen to Him in Jerusalem. All that the prophets had written about Him was to be accomplished. He was to be put to death and on the third day rise again in order that those who believe on Him might have eternal life.
The chapter closes with the miracle of opening the eyes of the blind beggar. The scene was at Jericho. Crowds were following the Lord. The blind man heard them passing by and asked who it was. When he learned that it was Jesus, he called out for Him to have mercy on him. When his sight was restored, he followed Jesus and glorified God.
Questions
1.
What suggestion is there that this chapter continues the thought of the preceding one.
2.
What is the purpose of the parable of the Widow and the Judge?
3.
How does it differ from the lesson taught by the parable of the Friend at Midnight?
4.
Why is the Coming of Christ delayed?
5.
What contrast is there between the wicked judge and the heavenly Father?
6.
What lesson is taught by the fact that the widow kept coming to the judge with her plea?
7.
What caused the judge to finally hear her?
8.
What has this to do with prayer?
9.
Who are the elect? How do they become the chosen of God?
10.
What did Jesus say about the longsuffering of God?
11.
What did He say about the manner in which He responds to the pleas of His chosen ones?
12.
What do the Scriptures teach about Jesus-' work as high priest?
13.
How are we to understand Jesus-' question, When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
14.
How is the question to be answered?
15.
What is the lesson taught by the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican?
16.
To what class of people did Jesus direct this parable?
17.
What did the Pharisee think of himself? What bearing does this have on the references to the Pharisees in chapter fifteen?
18.
What contrast did Jesus make between the Pharisee and the publican?
19.
What is there that shows that the publican was aware of the attitude of the Pharisee toward him?
20.
How is his humility shown?
21.
What does the Bible say of those whose confessions of sin are recorded in it?
22.
Why was the publican pardoned?
23.
What lesson did Jesus teach from this parable?
24.
Why did the parents bring their babes to Jesus?
25.
Why did the disciples rebuke them for doing so?
26.
What is the responsibility of parents in the matter of religious training? of the church?
27.
According to the Old Testament, who was responsible for teaching the Law of God to the children?
28.
From whom did Timothy learn about the sacred writings?
29.
What should be the relation between the home and the church in child training?
30.
What did Jesus mean by saying that to such belongs the kingdom of God?
31.
Why are sinners told to repent and be baptized to enter the body of Christ, the church?
32.
What do the three accounts reveal about the story of the Rich Young Ruler?
33.
What may be said about his age?
34.
What did he call Jesus?
35.
Why did Jesus challenge this remark?
36.
What did Jesus mean by saying, No one is good except One.
37.
Why did Jesus quote only the commandments that had to do with man's duties to man?
38.
What did the young ruler lack?
39.
What did he have to do to overcome it?
40.
What did Jesus mean by the reference to a camel and a needle's eye?
41.
What did Peter say when he heard Jesus-' remarks about the rich?
42.
What is the meaning of Jesus-' words, Many shall be last that are first and first that are last?
43.
Why did Jesus call attention to the things that were to happen to Him at Jerusalem?
44.
Why didn-'t the disciples understand?
45.
What are the facts about the miracle of healing the blind beggar as given in all three synoptic gospels?
46.
Why didn-'t Luke state exactly where it took place?
47.
Why did the beggar call Jesus Son of David?
48.
What was the attitude of the crowd toward the beggar?
49.
What was implied in his request that he might receive his sight?
50.
What did his faith have to do with the miracle?