Luke 5:1-39

Luke’s Good News

Luke

Hilda Bright

Chapter 5

Jesus calls the first *disciples 5:1-11

v1 The people crowded round Jesus because they were so eager to hear God’s message. He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. v2 Jesus saw two boats on the shore. Men had been fishing. They had left their boats and they were washing their nets. v3 Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Simon. Jesus asked Simon to move his boat into the water little way from the shore. Jesus sat down and taught the people from the boat. v4 When he had finished speaking, Jesus said to Simon, ‘Take the boat into the deep water. Drop your nets to catch fish’. v5 Simon said, ‘Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But because you tell me to, I will drop the nets into the water’. v6 When they had done this, their nets caught a great crowd of fish. The nets began to tear.

v7 So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They filled the two boats so full of fish that the boat almost sank. v8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down on his knees in front of Jesus. He said, ‘Leave me, for I am a wicked man, *Lord’. v9 For the great number of fish astonished Simon and his companions. v10 It astonished his partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee, as well. Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch people’. v11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and went with him.

Verse 1 Gennesaret is another name for the Sea of Galilee. Luke always calls it a lake. It is a very large lake in Galilee, about 13 miles (21 kilometres) long and 7 miles (11 kilometres) wide. The river Jordan flows into the north end and flows out of the south end.

Verse 3 The crowds were pushing forward to hear Jesus. He got into the boat so that he avoided the crowds. Now they would all be able to see and hear him.

Verse 5 Simon had been fishing in this lake for many years. He knew that the best time to fish was at night. He did not expect Jesus to know that. He had only been a carpenter (made wooden objects). Simon protested. But he was willing to do what Jesus said.

Verse 7 Their partners in the second boat were James and John, Zebedee’s sons. Luke does not mention Andrew’s name here. But he may have been in the boat with his brother Simon.

Verse 8 Simon Peter somehow felt that Jesus was holy, but that he himself was not holy. Jesus seemed to have power that other people did not have. Simon called Jesus ‘*Lord’. This suggests that Simon realised that Jesus had the right to tell him what to do.

Verse 10 Jesus told them that they had worked to catch fish. Now they must work to catch people for him. They had worked to kill fish. Now they must work to give people *spiritual life.

Jesus cures a man with *leprosy 5:12-16

v12 While Jesus was in one of the cities, a man came to him. This man was full of *leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he laid down on his front, in front of Jesus. The man said, ‘*Lord, you can make me clean if you want to’. v13 Jesus touched him with his hand. ‘I do want to’, he answered. ‘Be clean!’ At once the *leprosy disappeared. v14 Jesus ordered him not to tell anyone what had happened. ‘But go and show yourself to the priest. Then, because you are well again, offer a *sacrifice to God. Offer whatever Moses has ordered. This will prove to everyone that you are healthy’. v15 But the news about the man spread even more. Great crowds came to listen to Jesus. They asked him to cure their diseases. v16 But Jesus went away to pray in the desert.

Verse 12 In the Bible the word *leprosy refers to the disease that we call *leprosy. But it also includes other types of skin diseases. People with *leprosy had to keep far away from other people. They must call out ‘I am not clean!’ They warned other people not to come near them. Therefore, they could not be with their family or friends. Luke describes this man as ‘full of *leprosy’. He uses a medical term for a very serious form of the disease. The man came close enough to Jesus to fall down near his feet. He was not being humble. He was desperate. He needed Jesus’ help. This was urgent. He trusted that Jesus could *heal him. He was not sure that Jesus would want to.

Verse 13 Jesus would make himself ‘*unclean’ if he touched a person with *leprosy. But Jesus took no notice of this fact. Instead, he reached out and touched the man.

Verse 14 A priest acted as a medical officer of health. If the priest declared that the man was healthy, then he could go back among people. And the man who was now well would make the necessary *offerings. The law describes these matters in Leviticus 14:1-32. Everyone would then know that the man was really well again. They would accept him back into society. Although Jesus did not keep the *Sabbath traditions, he obeyed the law of Moses.

Jesus *heals a man who could not walk 5:17-26

v17 One day, as Jesus was teaching, some *Pharisees and teachers of the law of Moses were sitting there. They had come from every town in Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem. God had given Jesus the power to *heal sick people. v18 Some men came with a man who could not move. They were carrying him on a mat. They tried to take him into the house and put him in front of Jesus. v19 But the crowd was too great. They could not find a way in. So they went up on the roof. They let him down through a hole in the roof into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. v20 Jesus saw how much *faith they had. So he said to the man, ‘My friend, God has *forgiven your *sins’. v21 The teachers of the law and the *Pharisees began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this man Jesus? This Jesus is insulting God! Only God can forgive *sins!’ v22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Why are you thinking that? v23 Is it easier to say, “You are free from your *sins”, or to say, “Get up and walk”? v24 I will show you that the *Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive *sins’. Jesus said to the man who could not walk, ‘Get up. Pick up your mat and walk home’. v25 At once the man got up in front of everyone. He picked up the mat on which he had been lying. He went home, praising God. v26 He astonished everybody, and they praised God. They said, ‘We have seen wonderful things today’.

Verse 17 Luke does not say where Jesus was teaching. Mark says that it was in Capernaum. It was perhaps in Peter’s house (Mark 2:1).

The *Pharisees were strict *Jews who obeyed the law of Moses. They also tried to obey all the traditions that explained the law. Many *Pharisees were proud of all that they did. They were not sincere when they gave honour to God. They soon began to oppose what Jesus said and did. The teachers of the law (often called ‘*scribes’) were experts. They explained the *Hebrew *Scriptures. They taught especially about the law of Moses in the first five books of the *Old Testament.

Verse 18 Mark says that four men carried the man on his mat (Mark 2:3).

Verse 19 Houses usually had an outside staircase that went up to the flat roof. They made the roof from wood and mud. The men could easily make a hole in it.

Verse 20 At that time people believed that everyone who suffered was guilty of *sin (John 9:2). Even today, when people are ill they sometimes say, ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ Some people may suffer because of what they have done. But this does not explain all illnesses. It was important that this man should not feel guilty any more, whatever the reason for his illness.

Verse 21 The *Pharisees said that God alone could forgive *sins. They were right. However, they were wrong when they accused Jesus. He had not insulted God. Jesus was the *Messiah. He knew that he had God’s authority.

Verses 22-23 When Jesus said ‘I forgive you’, the *sin may or may not have gone. People could not prove that it had happened. But the people could certainly see that the man was better. The man had not been able to move. But then he got up and was able to walk. That proved that Jesus had authority to forgive *sins.

Verse 24 Jesus called himself the *Son of Man. He used this name for himself many times. This phrase could mean that he was human. It showed that Jesus considered himself to be like other men. But it could also mean ‘the *Messiah’ (Daniel 7:13-14). Jesus probably used the name on purpose because it had a double meaning. Many people were expecting that the *Messiah would fight and free them from the rule of the *Romans. But that was not what Jesus had come to do.

Jesus calls Levi 5:27-32

v27 Jesus went out and saw a man who collected *taxes. His name was Levi. He was sitting in his office. Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me’. v28 Levi got up. He left everything and followed Jesus. v29 Then Levi made a splendid dinner for Jesus in his house. Many *tax-collectors (people who collected *taxes) were among the guests. v30 Some *Pharisees and teachers of the law who belonged to their group complained to Jesus’ *disciples. They asked, ‘Why do you eat and drink with *tax-collectors and other *sinners?’ v31 Jesus answered them, ‘People who are healthy do not need a doctor. Only sick people need a doctor. v32 I have not come to invite good people to change their ways. I have come to call *sinners’.

Verse 27 People hated *tax-collectors because they worked for the *Romans. Therefore, people regarded them as not loyal to their own country. It was also easy for them to cheat and take too much *tax. There were very many *taxes that people had to pay. Levi was in his customs shed. He collected taxes from people who were going in or out of Capernaum. This was a main trading route. Levi is the same person as Matthew (Matthew 9:9). His name is in the list of *apostles (Luke 6:15).

Verse 28 Perhaps Levi was giving up more than Peter and his partners gave up. They could, if necessary, return to their fishing. It is probable that Levi would not be able to return to his work as a customs official.

Verses 29-30 If you ate with people, this suggested that you approved of their behaviour. The *Pharisees would not want to mix with *tax-collectors and ‘*sinners’. ‘*Sinners’ were people who did not keep all the *religious rules of the *Pharisees. It did not usually mean that they were very wicked people.

Verses 31-32 When Jesus said ‘good people’, he meant people like the *Pharisees. They believed that they were good. But they were not sincere in their attitude to God and his laws. The ‘*sinners’ knew that they needed Jesus to help them. Jesus compared them to a sick person who knows that he needs a doctor.

A question about *fasting 5:33-35

v33 Some people said to Jesus, ‘The *disciples of John often *fast and pray. The *disciples of the *Pharisees do the same. But your *disciples continue to eat and drink’. v34 Jesus answered, ‘At a wedding party you cannot make the guests *fast, while the bridegroom is with them. v35 But the day will come when people will take the bridegroom away. Then they will *fast’.

Verse 33 The *Pharisees *fasted (did not eat food) on two days every week. They *fasted on Mondays and Thursdays. They tried to make people notice what they were doing. So, they looked as miserable as possible. They also prayed at fixed times during the day. The *Pharisees said that Jesus and his *disciples did not carry out these *religious duties.

Verse 34 Jesus said that guests at a wedding party are full of joy while the bridegroom is with them. Jesus was like the bridegroom. While he was with them, they would not *fast.

Verse 35 One day, people would take Jesus away to kill him. His *disciples would *fast then, not as a *religious duty, but because they were sad. Jesus and his *disciples often prayed. Luke does not record an answer to this part of the *Pharisees’ question.

The old and the new 5:36-39

v36 Jesus also told them this *parable. ‘Nobody uses a piece of new cloth to mend an old coat. He will spoil both. He will tear the new cloth, and that new piece will not match the old.

v37 Nobody pours new *wine into old *wineskins. If he does, the new *wine will burst the *wineskins. The *wine will pour out and the *wineskins will not be useful any more. v38 Instead, people must put new *wine into new *wineskins. v39 Nobody wants new *wine after drinking old *wine. He says that the old is better’.

Verses 36-39 Jesus uses two examples from daily life to describe what he was teaching. He was not aiming to ‘mend’ the *Jewish *faith. He was teaching new things. These were like a new piece of cloth. People make *wineskins from the skins of goats. The skin becomes hard when it is old. New *wine is strong enough to burst the old skins. The new things that Jesus taught were as powerful as new *wine. Some people would not like what he was teaching. They would be like a man who says that old *wine is better than new wine. The *Pharisees, and other people like them, were refusing to accept the joy that Jesus could give them. They preferred the ‘old *wine’ of their own traditions. They asked a question about *fasting. It had shown that they were not willing to change their ways. Their attitude was hard like an old *wineskin. They could not accept new ideas and the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Jesus’ message made people free from *sin. They could have joy as they obeyed God. However, Jesus’ message would destroy the religion of the *Pharisees. Their rules limited people’s freedom and did not give them any joy.

This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words)

disciple ~ one who follows another and learns from him; a person who believes in Jesus; a person who follows the things that he teaches.
Lord ~ name for God in the Bible; name that we use for Jesus when we obey him.
spiritual ~ belonging to the spirit.
spirit ~ the part of a person which is alive, which we cannot see. It can speak to other spirits and the soul.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see, that is in us during our life on earth. It continues to live after the body dies.
leprosy ~ serious disease of the skin.
sacrifice ~ a gift to God to ask him to forgive sins; or to thank him for something.
heal ~ cure; make completely well.
unclean ~ (1) not pure in a religious meaning. (2) dirty.
religious ~ leaders belonging to a religion.
offering ~ a gift to please God.
Sabbath ~ day of rest when people should not work (Saturday for Jews).
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
Pharisees ~ group of Jews who were very strict about the law of Moses.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
faith ~ trust.
forgive ~ when someone stops being angry with another person who has done bad things.'sin/sinner ~ when people do things against God or other people.'Son of Man ~ special name that Jesus used of himself.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
Scribes ~ teachers of the law of Moses.
Hebrew ~ language of the Jews and of the *Old Testament.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.'Christ/Messiah ~ the Jews’ word for the king whom God would send to rescue them.

Messiah/Christ ~ the Jews’ word for the king whom God would send to rescue them.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.
Roman ~ person or thing that belongs to Rome.
Rome ~ capital of a great empire in *New Testament times.
empire ~ group of nations under one ruler (emperor).
emperor ~ king who rules over many countries.
tax ~ money that people must pay to the government.'tax-collector ~ man who received taxes for the government.
tax ~ money that people must pay to the government.

'sin/sinner ~ when people do things against God or other people.
apostle ~ one of the 12 men whom Jesus chose to be his special helpers.'sin/sinner ~ when people do things against God or other people.
religious ~ leaders belonging to a religion.
fast ~ to choose not to eat and drink for a time.
parable ~ a story with a moral meaning.
wine ~ a drink made from grapes.
grape ~ fruit of vine.
vine ~ plant that produces grapes.
wineskins ~ these were used to keep wine in. They made them from the skins of animals.
wine ~ a drink made from grapes.
grape ~ fruit of vine.
vine ~ plant that produces grapes.
Jewish ~ a word that describes a Jew or anything to do with a Jew.
Jew ~ a person who was born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children.

Luke: The Man Christ Jesus

Jesus in Galilee

Luke 4:14-9

Ian Mackervoy

Chapter 5

Jesus chooses the first *disciples – Luke 5:1-11

v1 One day Jesus stood by the Gennesaret Lake. The people crowded round him as they listened to God's word. v2 Jesus saw two boats on the shore. The *fishermen had left the boats and they were washing their nets. v3 Jesus got into one of the boats. It belonged to Simon. Jesus asked Simon to take the boat a short distance from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and he taught the people from the boat.

v4 Jesus finished his speech to the people. Then he said to Simon, ‘Take the boat into deep water. And put your nets in the water to catch some fish.’

v5 Simon answered, ‘Master, we worked all night. And we caught no fish. But because you tell me to do it, I will put the nets into the water.’

v6 They did this and they caught a large number of fishes. There were so many fishes that the nets began to break. v7 So, they called to their partners in the other boat to come and to help them. They came and together they filled both boats with fishes. There were so many fishes that the boats began to sink.

v8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at the knees of Jesus. And he said to Jesus, ‘Go away from me, *Lord. I am a *sinful man.’ v9 What Jesus did astonished Simon. And it astonished all the men who were with him. They had caught such a large number of fishes. v10 Also, this astonished Simon’s partners, James and John. James and John were the sons of Zebedee.

And Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid. From now on, you will catch living people.’ v11 Simon and his partners brought the boats to shore. Then they left everything, and they followed Jesus.

Verses 1-3 Gennesaret Lake has two other names in the *New Testament. It is the Sea of Galilee and the Sea of Tiberias. That means, the sea called Galilee (or Tiberias). Gennesaret was the more ancient name of the lake. The name came from a small plain on its west border. The plain was between Tiberias and Capernaum. In *Hebrew, Gennesaret is Chinnereth or Kinnereth (Numbers 34:11). The plain called Chinnereth had very good soil and the people planted all kinds of fruit trees there.

The lake is about 13 miles long and 7 miles wide. It is about 700 feet below sea level.

A large crowd had come to hear Jesus as he taught. They wanted to hear what God said. They knew that Jesus was teaching the word of God to them.

The whole crowd pushed forward to hear Jesus. They pressed so hard upon him that Jesus needed some space. There were two empty boats on the shore. Jesus got into the one that belonged to Simon Peter. The other boat belonged to a man called Zebedee and his two sons, James and John. As Jesus was speaking, these men cleaned their nets. Jesus asked Simon to take his boat a short distance from the shore. Then Jesus sat in the boat and he taught the people. The people could all hear him as sound travels well over water.

Verses 4-7 Jesus told Simon to take the boat away from the shore and into deep water. Peter and his crew did so. Then Jesus told them to put their nets into the water. Simon and his friends were in business as *fishermen. They knew that this was not a good time to catch fish. The best time to catch fish was at night. They had been out all night and they had caught no fishes. They had worked hard all night and they were tired.

Of course, Jesus was not a *fisherman. But because it was Jesus, Simon agreed to put their nets into the water. He called Jesus ‘master’ for the first time. To fish was Simon’s job but he accepted the authority of Jesus even in this.

Jesus told them where to put the nets into the water. Because they obeyed Jesus, they caught a large number of fishes. There were so many fishes that the nets almost broke. If the nets had broken, the fishes would have escaped.

The men in Simon’s boat called for help to those in the other boat. Together they filled both boats with fishes. There were so many fishes that the two boats began to sink. This amount of fishes was clearly beyond what they would usually expect. This was a *miracle.

Luke does not tell us who and how many were with Simon Peter in his boat. It is probable that Andrew (Simon’s brother) was among the crew. In the crew of the other boat were James and John, who were brothers.

Verses 8-11 Peter saw the quantity of fishes that they had caught. This *miracle astonished him and those men who were with him. It showed that Jesus had authority over the natural world. Peter now knew that Jesus was more than an ordinary man. He calls Jesus not just master but *Lord. Perhaps Peter already recognised that Jesus was the *Christ. ‘*Lord’ is the word that Peter would choose to give honour to the *Christ.

This *miracle had a powerful effect on Peter. He became aware of his own *sinful character. He felt that he could not live with such a perfect person as Jesus. He fell down on his knees in front of Jesus. And he cried, ‘Go away from me, *Lord.’ The power of Jesus was too much for him. He was afraid.

Jesus understood Peter’s reaction. So, he said to Peter, ‘Do not be afraid.’ Then Jesus showed Peter what would be his life’s work from now on. Peter would catch people alive rather than fishes. This means that Peter would bring people to know Christ. He would be an *apostle to the *Jews (Galatians 2:8). And he would make it possible for people from other nations to become Christians (Acts chapter 10).

The crews of both boats got them to the shore safely. This incident impressed James and John in a similar way to Peter. So, these three men left everything and they followed Jesus.

A man with a serious skin disease – Luke 5:12-16

v12 One day Jesus was in a town. There was a man with *leprosy that was all over him. When he saw Jesus, he fell down with his face to the ground. He appealed to Jesus. ‘*Lord, if you want to, you can cure me.’

v13 Jesus reached out his hand and he touched the man. Jesus said, ‘I want to. I have cured you.’ At once, the *leprosy left the man.

v14 Then Jesus ordered him, ‘Tell nobody about it. But go and show yourself to the priest. Offer a *sacrifice as Moses ordered. This will show them that the disease has gone.

v15 But the news about Jesus spread even more. Great crowds of people came to hear Jesus. Many sick people came to him that he might cure them. v16 Often Jesus would go away to places where he could be alone for prayer.

Verses 12-13 *Leprosy is the word in the Bible for some serious skin diseases. The word included other diseases, as well as what we know as *leprosy. As the *leprosy spreads, it eats away the sick person’s body. And in those days, there was no way to cure *leprosy.

When a person had *leprosy, he was unclean in the *Jewish religion. That meant that the person with *leprosy had to keep away from other people. When other people were near, he had to cover his upper lip. And he had to cry, ‘unclean, unclean’ (Leviticus 13:45-46). A person with *leprosy could not work in order to earn the money that he needed. He had to depend on the kindness of other people to live.

Sometimes a disease does not spread and it clears up. A priest would then examine the person. If the disease has healed, the person must go to the priest. He would make a *sacrifice as the law ordered. Then the priest would declare that the person was clean again. The rules for this are in Leviticus chapter 14.

This awful *leprosy covered this man. He was very ill with this disease. Probably, he had heard about some of the *miracles that Jesus had done. He came to Jesus and fell down at his feet. He said, ‘*Lord, if you want to.’ He did not doubt Jesus’ kindness. Rather he felt that he had no value. He could not expect Jesus to pity him. But he did believe that Jesus could cure him.

Nobody would touch a person who had *leprosy. But Jesus did. He had pity on the man. By this act, Jesus showed this poor man that he cared. Jesus reached out and he touched the man. Jesus cured him from his *leprosy and the disease went immediately.

Verses 14-16 Jesus told the man to say nothing about it. But the man could not keep quiet. He told many people what had happened. So, news about Jesus spread. Crowds came to him. Many sick people came for him to cure them.

The man had to go to the priests. Jesus told him to obey the law. He had to do as Leviticus chapter 14 said. The priest had to examine him. Then the priest would declare that the disease had gone. This would be necessary for the man. People would know that he had been a *leper. They needed proof that the disease had gone. They would want to know that the priest considered the man to be well. Also, it would show the people that Jesus obeyed the law.

Jesus often had to go away from the crowds. He needed to have times of quiet. Private prayer was very important in his life.

The *Pharisees begin to oppose Jesus – Luke 5:17–6:11

Jesus cures a man who could not move – Luke 5:17-26

v17 One day as Jesus taught the people, some *Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village in Galilee, Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the *Lord was with him, to cure sick people. v18 Some men brought on a mat a man who could not move. They tried to take him into the house and to put him in front of Jesus. v19 But they could not get him into the house because of the crowd. So, they went up on the roof and they made a hole in it. Then they let the man down on his mat into the middle of the crowd. He came down in front of Jesus.

v20 When Jesus saw their *faith, he spoke to the man on the mat. He said to him, ‘My friend, I forgive you your *sins.’

v21 The teachers of the law and the *Pharisees began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this man? He speaks such *blasphemy. God is the only one who can forgive *sins.’

v22 But Jesus knew what they thought. He said to them, ‘Do not think like that. v23 Which of these statements is easier to say? “I forgive your *sins.” Or “stand up and walk.” v24 I will show to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive *sins.’ He said to the man who was unable to move, ‘I tell you to get up. Take your mat and go home.’ v25 At once, the man stood up in front of them. He picked up his mat. And he praised God as he went home. v26 This caused all the people to wonder and they praised God. With fear they said, ‘We have seen astonishing things today.’

Verses 17-19 Jesus had returned to Capernaum. He taught the people in a house there. Some *Pharisees and teachers of the law had come to hear what he taught. They had come from all over Galilee, Judea and even from Jerusalem. Probably they wanted to test what he taught. They wanted to know whether Jesus agreed with them about the law and their traditions.

Probably many of the people in the house had come because they were sick. They wanted Jesus to cure them. Jesus had the power to cure. In some way, that power was noticeable in the house. Perhaps as Jesus taught some people felt that power.

There were 4 men. They wanted to bring their sick friend to Jesus. The friend could not walk so they carried him on a mat. They believed that Jesus would cure their friend. But when they arrived at the house, they could not get in. There were so many people already there, both inside and outside the door.

Many of the houses had flat roofs. And they had outside stairs up to the roof. The typical roof was of wooden beams that the builders had placed across the mud brick or stone walls. They covered the wooden beams with various materials such as earth, grasses and mud bricks. In this house, they had used harder materials as well.

The 4 men took their friend up the stairs and onto the roof. Then they opened a hole in the roof. Such damage as they may have done was easy to repair. Then they carefully let the sick man down on his mat through the hole. They let him down until he landed at the feet of Jesus.

Verses 20-21 The man lay at the feet of Jesus. This showed to Jesus the *faith of the 4 friends of the man. Probably the man had *faith as well. The man had come because he needed Jesus to cure his body. But Jesus said to the man, ‘I forgive you your *sins.’

There is nothing to suggest that *sin was the immediate cause of this disease.

Nobody can forgive *sins but God. No *angel or man could do that. If Jesus were an ordinary man, this would be *blasphemy against God. Jesus in effect showed that he is God. But the teachers of the law and the *Pharisees did not believe this fact. They began to reason among themselves that this was *blasphemy.

Verses 22-26 Jesus knew what they thought. He asked them which of these two statements was easier to say. It is easy to say either statement. We cannot see the result of the first one. But we can see the result of the second one. So, the effect of the second is evidence of the first. If the man walks, then Jesus has power to forgive *sins.

This is the first time that Jesus calls himself the Son of Man. In this, Jesus shows that he is a man. And he shows that he is more than a man. An ordinary man could not forgive *sins. Only God can forgive *sins. The *Jews would later recognise this phrase, the Son of Man, as a name for the *Christ (John 12:34).

The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive *sins. He proved this as he cured the man. At Jesus’ command, the man got up immediately. He picked up his mat and he went home. The man praised God as he went.

This passage does not inform us about the effect that this had on the *Pharisees and teachers of the law. The people felt fear at the strange things that had happened. But they praised God.

Levi becomes a *disciple – Luke 5:27-32

v27 After this, Jesus went out and he saw Levi. Levi was a man who collected taxes. He sat in the place where he worked. Jesus said to Levi, ‘Follow me.’ v28 Levi got up and he left everything. And he followed Jesus.

v29 Then Levi made a big dinner at his home for Jesus. A large crowd of the men who collected taxes and other guests ate with them. v30 But the *Pharisees and their teachers of the law complained to Jesus' *disciples. ‘You eat and drink with these people. They are men who collect taxes and *sinners. Why do you eat with them?’

v31 Jesus answered them, ‘Healthy people do not need a doctor. But sick people do need one. v32 I did not come to call good people. I came to invite *sinners to *repent.’

Verses 27-32 Jesus went down by the lake where he taught a large crowd of people. Then as he walked along, he saw Levi (Mark 2:14). Levi was the son of a man called Alphaeus. Another name for Levi is Matthew (Matthew 9:9). He was a man who collected taxes. He was at work when Jesus came to him. Jesus told him to follow him. Immediately Levi did as Jesus told him. Levi became one of the 12 *apostles of Jesus.

Levi had a party at his home with Jesus as the principal guest. Among the other guests, there were many of his friends who collected taxes. Other people did not like the men who collected taxes. They collected taxes for the *Roman government. They were able to collect more than they should from the people. In this way, they robbed the people and they often became wealthy. They were ‘*sinners’. There were other people there that the public called *sinners as well.

The *Pharisees and their teachers of the law tried to keep the *Jewish religion moral and good. For this purpose, they taught the law, as they understood it. Along with the law, they insisted on their traditions. They refused to be friendly to any people whom they considered bad *sinners. In their opinion, to eat with someone meant that you agreed with that person. Therefore, a *Pharisee would not eat with these ‘*sinners’.

So, these *Pharisees complained about Jesus because he ate with these ‘*sinners’. They asked the *disciples why Jesus did this. Jesus told them that he had come for *sinners. He came to offer to them the opportunity to *repent. The Bible teaches us that we are all *sinners (Romans 3:23). But these *Pharisees would not admit that they were *sinners too. Therefore, Jesus had nothing to offer to them.

When to go without food – Luke 5:33-39

v33 Some people said to Jesus, ‘John’s *disciples often go without food. At those times, they pray. The *disciples of the *Pharisees do the same. But your *disciples continue to eat and to drink.’

v34 Jesus said to them, ‘A bridegroom's friends at his wedding do not go without food. They will eat while he is still with them. v35 But the time will come when people will take the bridegroom away from them. And then they will not eat.’

v36 Jesus told them this story. ‘Nobody tears a piece of cloth from a new coat to cover a hole in an old coat. If he does, he will have torn the new coat. And the cloth from the new coat will not match the old coat. v37 Nobody pours new wine into old leather wine bags. If he does, the new wine will break the old wine bags. The wine will spill out and it will ruin the old wine bags. v38 You must pour new wine into new leather bags. v39 Nobody who has drunk old wine wants to drink new wine. He says, ‘The old wine is better.’

Verses 33-35 The *disciples of John the *Baptist often went without food. The *disciples of the *Pharisees did the same. The *Pharisees often went without food two days in a week. Such periods with no food had become a tradition in their religion. God’s law has only one definite day on which the *Jews should eat no food. That day is called the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32). The *disciples of Jesus did not follow the *Pharisees’ tradition.

Jesus replied, ‘A bridegroom’s friends at his wedding do not go without food.’ In effect, guests at a wedding eat and drink. It is a time of joy and a good party. While the bridegroom is with them, they do not go without food. While Jesus was with his *disciples, they could not do it.

However, the time would come when Jesus was not there. Jesus knew that he had come to die. Then the *disciples would be sad. And they would have times when they did not eat. This would not be because Jesus told them to do it. It would be a reaction to the situation.

Many Christians do have times without food. But this is not just a tradition. They do it for special purposes. Often they do it to give themselves more time to pray.

Verses 36-39 To repair an old coat with cloth from a new coat would spoil both coats. It would tear the new coat. And the piece of cloth would not fit the old coat. In the Book of Mark, we read that the new piece of cloth would reduce in size. And this would tear the old coat (Mark 2:21).

What Jesus taught was new and different from the traditions of the *Jews. It was not possible to combine the two. By their traditions, they interpreted the law and they added their own rules to it. Jesus explained the *Old Testament. He showed us what it really means.

In those days, the people kept wine in bags that they made from the skins of animals. Most often, it was the skin of goats. At first, the skins were soft and they could stretch. But as they got older, they became harder and stiff. New wine increased in volume in the skin. Therefore, new wine needed new skins. New wine in an old skin would split the old skin. So the wine would flow out and it would break the skin.

A man drinks the old wine and he enjoys it. He would not want to drink the new wine. He believes that the old wine is better. So, it was with many *Pharisees and other people who followed the traditions of their religion. They would not follow the new way of Jesus Christ.

disciple ~ a person who follows a leader, especially the 12 men that Jesus chose to be with him.
fishermen ~ men whose job is to catch fish.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all people and things. In the Old Testament, LORD was a special name for God.

Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the holy things that the writers wrote before Jesus’ birth.
sinful ~ a person who sins is sinful.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.

'New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on earth.
Hebrew ~ the language of the Jews and of the Old Testament.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the families of their children.

Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the holy things that the writers wrote before Jesus’ birth.
miracle ~ a powerful deed that does not happen by natural means. Often, miracles seem impossible to explain. Miracles show God’s power.
Christ ~ the Christ is the name for the person whom God would send to save his people. Jesus is the Christ and he was called Christ.
apostle ~ someone whom God sends; especially one of the 12 men whom Jesus chose to be his helpers.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the families of their children.
leprosy ~ a serious disease of the skin.
sacrifice ~ a gift to God to ask him to forgive sins or to thank him for something.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
leprosy ~ a serious disease of the skin.
Jewish ~ people or things that are from the Jews.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the families of their children.
leper ~ a man with a serious skin disease called leprosy.
leprosy ~ a serious disease of the skin.
Pharisees ~ a group of Jews who tried to keep all God’s rules. Many Pharisees did not approve of Jesus.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the families of their children.
faith ~ trust in someone or something; belief and trust in God and in Jesus Christ his Son.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
blasphemy ~ to say things against God; to curse and to insult God.
angel ~ a servant of God from heaven. God made angels to serve him and to take his messages. So, angels are God’s servants from heaven. But there are evil angels who opposed God. These evil angels now serve the devil.
sinners ~ people who sin.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
repent ~ to change one’s mind and heart. People who repent must turn their minds and hearts away from sin. They ask God to help them so that they can now serve him.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.
Roman ~ Rome was the capital city of the rulers at the time of the New Testament. Anything that belonged to Rome was Roman.

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on earth.
Baptist ~ a title for John, who prepared for Christ’s arrival, because he baptised people.
baptise ~ to use water in a special ceremony to show that God has forgiven (washed away) someone’s sin.
sin ~ sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God.

'Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the holy things that the writers wrote before Jesus’ birth.