THE LORD CHOSE ANOTHER SEVENTY-TWO MEN. [A few manuscripts say seventy.] Only Luke tells this. It must have taken place _after_ the events already given. Seventy-two may have been a symbolic number, and Grotius, et. al., connect it with the seventy-two members of the Sanhedrin. Since Jesus had alrea... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS A LARGE HARVEST. See note on Matthew 9:37, where he said this at a different time.... [ Continue Reading ]
GO! He gives them roughly the same instructions as the twelve. See notes on _Matthew 10._ Matthew gives the most detail, but Luke adds: _"Don't stop to greet anyone on the road._ " The Jews had a ritual for greeting people, and it took a lot of time [sometimes as much as three hours!]. They cannot s... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW TERRIBLE IT WILL BE FOR YOU. See notes on Matthew 11:20-24. He seems to be repeating what he had said at a different time, to point out the sin of rejecting the Lord's messengers.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOEVER LISTENS TO YOU, LISTENS TO ME. The Lord works by proxy through his people. See note on Matthew 10:40.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SEVENTY-TWO MEN CAME BACK IN GREAT JOY. Luke seems to emphasize the work of these seventy-two. How long they had been out on their mission is not known. EVEN THE DEMONS OBEYED US. Jesus gave a promise to the Twelve (Matthew 10:8), and must have repeated it to the seventy-two. They used the power... [ Continue Reading ]
FATHER. I THANK YOU. He said this more than once. See notes on Matthew 11:25-27.... [ Continue Reading ]
23-24. How FORTUNATE YOU ARE. See notes on Matthew 13:16-17. He probably said this more than once.... [ Continue Reading ]
25-29. A certain teacher OF THE Law. Only Luke tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the Lost Son, and the Rich Man and Lazarus. Tried to TRAP Jesus. His motive was not right. WHAT MUST I DO? Jesus told people to turn from sin. This man did not think he had any sin. WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES say? Th... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS A MAN. A Jew, from Jerusalem. WHO WAS GOING DOWN. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho descends over 3,000 feet in eighteen miles. WHEN ROBBERS ATTACKED HIM. This road was dangerous to travel, for just that reason. STRIPPED HIM, AND BEAT HIM UP. They took everything he had, and left him in s... [ Continue Reading ]
HE CAME TO A CERTAIN VILLAGE. This is Bethany, home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. We do not know the exact time this happened. It might have been on his last trip to Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO SAT DOWN AT THE FEET OF THE LORD. We see Martha "rushing around," preparing the meal; while Mary sits at his feet, listening to his teaching. But there is not as much difference between the two women as seems to be.... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD, DON'T YOU CARE? Martha thinks she has a problem, and she "lets this grow" until she speaks sharply to Jesus. Sometimes we can bear the heaviest sorrows, and then stumble over some little thing. Martha was a good woman.... [ Continue Reading ]
YOU ARE WORRIED AND TROUBLED OVER SO MANY THINGS. The Africans have a proverb: _"Don't sell your elephant to buy medicine for your cat. "_ BUT JUST ONE IS NEEDED. The important thing was the "bread of life." MARY HAS CHOSEN THE RIGHT THING. Jesus can be with them only a short time, and it is not too... [ Continue Reading ]