Through the Bible in a Year: Luke 6-10

Posted on 03/20/2012 by Paul Pavao

This Week’s Reading Schedule

Tuesday’s (today’s) Bible Reading is Luke 6-10
Wednesday, Mar. 21: Luke 11-15
Thursday, Mar. 22: Luke 16-20
Friday, Mar. 23: Luke 21-24

The overall year’s plan is here.

Interlude

The last couple days I’ve mentioned that the Gospel is not just to bring forgiveness of sins—though forgiveness of sins is, of course, central to the New Covenant (e.g., Matt. 26:28; Acts 10:43)—but to bring deliverance from sin as well.

That deliverance from sin is not a private thing. The New Covenant was never meant to be a private religion, but we require each other’s help to experience deliverance (Heb. 3:13: 10:24-25).

Sometimes, though, deliverance looks and feels a lot like this video:

Luke 6

Jesus begins this chapter by proving himself to be Lord of the Sabbath. The scribes and Pharisees are not moved by his claim even when he heals the sick, however, preferring their traditions to the revelation of God.

Do not think you are immune from the same problem. The problem is widespread in religious and Christian circles, and it will affect you if you are not purposely a follower of Christ over tradition.

In vv. 12-16, Jesus chooses the twelve apostles, but only after spending the night in prayer. Once again, we see that prayer was important to Jesus.

"Apostle," by the way, means "sent one" or "envoy" or "ambassador." There were more than the twelve (Paul and Barnabas, for example—Acts 14:14; Silas and Timothy as further examples—1 Thess. 1:1, 2:6), but the twelve were special. Judas had to be specifically replaced after he fell (Acts 1:15-26). God gave the Gospel to Jesus, and Jesus gave it to the apostles to be once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). They are the one authority of the church, and that is why the books that the church has accepted as Scripture all were understood to have apostolic authority in some way.

Luke 6:20-38; 46-49

This passage seems like a summation of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). It may be. Remember, Luke researched his Gospel and gave a life story of Christ based on his research. There’s no reason he should have repeated the Sermon on the Mount word for word from Matthew or bothered to report that it took place on a mountain.

What’s most important here is that there’s a message that matters. Obeying these words of Christ are like walking in the promises of Psalm 1. It means constant blessing, walking in the power of God, even when things are going wrong around you (vv. 46-49).

These sorts of words should be read repeatedly and even committed to memory. Think about it. Isn’t it worth knowing what sorts of commands will guarantee that you will be like a house that can endure storms or like a tree planted by a river, immune to drought and storms?

Luke 6:39-45

Jesus is well aware that there are enemies to his teaching. Here he takes a chance to tell people to distinguish between teachers by the fruit they produce, not by the mere words they say.

I don’t know how well we’ve learned this lesson today. It seems to me that modern Christianity honors words and arguments far above results—a holy life and ministries that deliver people from the mire of the kingdom of darkness.

Luke 7:1-17

Luke shows Jesus’ compassion to all who come across his path, Jew and Gentile alike. Luke doesn’t make a point that Jesus would normally have been sent to the house of Israel only, like Matthew and Mark do. Chances are, that’s not a message that’s pertinent to his hearers, since he’s the companion of the apostle to the Gentiles, Paul.

Luke 7:18-30

Even John the Baptist began to wonder whether Jesus was really the Coming One. Where was the ax set to the root of the tree? Where was the fiery judgment that John proclaimed?

Jesus points John to his mighty works. He knows that John is a man of God, and he will judge rightly, as we read in the last chapter, by the fruit. Jesus doesn’t offer John words, but he offers him fruit.

He also adds that John the Baptist is the greatest man ever born, but that he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater even than John.

Think about that statement, and then realize how much we who have received the Spirit of God as part of the New Covenant have undersold ourselves.

I’m not talking about miracles, though the Scriptures say at least some of us ought to be doing them (1 Cor. 12). John the Baptist didn’t do miracles, but he did give himself completely to what God did give him to do. I am simply talking about us doing the same, doing the ministry that God has given us to do (Rom. 12:4-8).

Luke 7:31-50

An excellent picture of the New Covenant and exactly whom God wishes to call.

Luke 8:1-3

In verses 1-3, we get one of our only glimpses into how Jesus was supported financially.

Luke 8:4-18

We’ve seen the parables in the other Gospels, and we’ve seen the reason for them, which Jesus gives again in v. 10. The parables leave an open door for God to reveal truth to those who are worthy and to hide it from those who are not.

We know from the other Gospels that this was prompted by the Pharisees’ accusation that he did his miracles by the power of the kingdom of darkness.

Luke 8:19-21

In vv. 19-21, we see Jesus referring to the hearers of the Word of God as his true family. Jesus makes a lot of statements like this, not only about himself, but about us, and the strongest of them all will come up in tomorrow’s reading, in Luke 14:26. For us, like Jesus, the family of God is our first family, not our second.

Luke 8:26-39

We’ve seen the casting out of Legion in the other Gospels, and it is just as strange in Luke as it is in the others.

Notice that Jesus talks to the demons even after he’s commanded them to leave the man. When they do leave, they ask to go into the pigs, which is not so strange except that the pigs immediately kill themselves.

Luke 8:40-56

This is the story of the healing of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with the issue of blood. I want only to point out again that Jesus felt it when he was touched by faith. We will find that when our prayers, among other requirements, are touched by faith, that we, too, will get a response from Jesus (Mark 11:23-24).

I saw the following video on Sunday, and it seemed on subject here and worth sharing.

Luke 9:1-17

Jesus sends the apostles on their own ministry for a while, which arouses Herod’s curiosity. When they return, he tries to have time alone with them, but he’s beset by the crowds. He’s not irritated by this, but he has compassion on them.

Luke 9:18-22

Here Peter has it revealed to him by the Father that Jesus is the Christ. Immediately, Jesus clarifies something about the Messiah. He’s going to have to suffer and be killed, though he will be raised again the third day. Jesus never intended to be the triumphant, military Messiah overthrowing the Romans and driving them out of Israel.

Luke 9:23-26

Jesus’ call to discipleship is a powerful call. It is a call to forsake our own lives, as though we had a death sentence, and to move on to letting him live through us (Gal. 2:20). Letting him live in us is the only way we will be able to follow through on the "hard sayings" of Jesus, who was never afraid to demand complete discipleship (e.g., 1 Cor. 1:30).

Luke 9:27-36

Each time the Mount of Transfiguration is described in the Gospels, Jesus first says that some of the apostles will see the kingdom of God coming in power. The Mount of Transfiguration is an advance glimpse of the power of God’s kingdom.

Luke 9:43-45

Jesus makes a special effort here to get his disciples to understand that despite all this power, he is not going to triumph militarily, he is going to die. Luke says they did not understand it.

Luke 9:46-56

Here is a description of the sort of attitude that Christians ought to have toward greatness and toward those around us. Many Christians read passages like this, and they think, "I will begin my Christian walk by being the least and by being a servant, and then I will rise up to a high-powered pastor or evangelist position, and I will be great."

No, from now until eternity it is the servant of all and least of all who is great in the kingdom, and no matter what your service in the kingdom on earth, your attitude is to remain one of being a servant to everyone.

Luke 9:57-62

Here are more "hard sayings" of Jesus. Jesus meant these things, and the best thing we can do with them is give them heed and apply them to ourselves. How serious are we about following Christ?

Luke 10:1-16

Here Jesus sends not just the twelve, but seventy disciples to go before him into the cities and towns. He makes it clear that the places that do not receive them will be judged already. Not receiving the messenger is the same as not receiving the one who sent the messenger.

Luke 10:17-20

When the seventy return having experienced power, Jesus calls it a great triumph over the kingdom of darkness, saying that satan fell from heaven like lightning.

Then he reminds them, and the rest of us, that the greatest thing of all is to have your name written in heaven.

Luke 10:25-41

This parable and the story of Martha and Mary give us a picture of where God wants our heart to be and what marks out real service to God.

I have been pointing out the hard sayings of Jesus today, but it is important not to take those things in a religious sense. Look at who Jesus honors and what he honors them for. Perhaps the greatest picture of who Jesus honors is in the judgment passage of Matthew 25:31-46.

Jesus is looking for committed, sold-out disciples, who put him and the family of God first, but he is not looking for Pharisees. He is looking for those who are kind and compassionate to the naked, hungry, and even the imprisoned. He is looking for those that sit at his feet because they love his word.

Another excellent passage on what is central to the heart of Christ is Titus 2, which is the only place where the great apostle Paul gives a definition of "sound doctrine."

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Through the Bible in a Year: Luke 1-5

Posted on 03/19/2012 by Paul Pavao

This Week’s Reading Schedule

Monday’s (today’s) Bible Reading is Luke 1-5
Tuesday, Mar. 20: Luke 6-10
Wednesday, Mar. 21: Luke 11-15
Thursday, Mar. 22: Luke 16-20
Friday, Mar. 23: Luke 21-24

The overall year’s plan is here.

Luke 1

Luke has some long chapters. I am going to need to keep my commentary limited so you have time to read Luke himself!

Luke is the only Gospel that does not claim eyewitness status. He makes it clear from the beginning that he researched all this information, "having investigated everything carefully from the beginning," and is now reporting it.

Nonetheless, each Gospel requires apostolic authority, and Luke’s authority is Paul because he was Paul’s traveling companion.

Luke is the only one who gives John the Baptist’s full background and birth, which is very interesting.

Gabriel’s announcement to Mary of the virgin birth is also included in this chapter, and here we learn that Mary and Elizabeth—and thus Jesus and John—are relatives.

This set of events was so spiritual that God ensured that the Holy Spirit was involved all the way from these mother’s wombs, and John recognized Jesus before either of them were born.

Mary’s proclamation in vv. 46-55 is important and spiritually insightful. She foresees that this has to do with far more than just her baby. She sees the deliverance of God to Israel and God’s power over the whole world in the proclamation. Great things are happening.

After Zacharias has his voice restored, his proclamation is even grander and clearer. This is "the redemption for his people." It is "Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us." In fact, this is such a great event that "The Sunrise from on high will visit us," to the result that they will be guided into peace.

At least as that moment, Zacharias could see the grandeur of the coming of John the Baptist, who would announce the approach of the Lord who would bring this glorious kingdom of God to pass.

Luke 2

Luke 2 covers Jesus birth through his return to Nazareth, including the only glimpse we have of his childhood, his 3 days at the temple in Jerusalem.

We also meet a prophet and prophetess, Simeon and Anna, who recognize him for who he is.

Never underestimate the power of the Spirit. Christianity is a miraculous, spiritual religion. It is walking by the Holy Spirit that will teach you a new way of living as you follow Christ. Obviously, we are to study the Scriptures. Friday, we heard Psalm 1’s promise that those who meditate on the law of the Lord will prosper. But we are part of a covenant that is of the Spirit and not of the letter (2 Cor. 3:6). All God’s people are granted to receive the Holy Spirit and to hear God speak by the Spirit.

How that is experienced varies. There are no step-by-step instructions in Scripture, but if we give ourselves to God, follow him, and meditate on his will, God has committed himself to teaching us.

Luke 3

Luke 3 gives an overview of the ministry of John the Baptist until Jesus came to be baptized by him.

There’s no denying John’s boldness. He spoke the truth as God gave it to him without fear of men. When he upbraided Herod Antipas about his marriage, his confident speaking of God’s Word landed him in prison.

We are eternal beings. Being courageous and bold is our call. God has not called us to safety, but to boldly live out the Word of God. To do so is an incredible adventure, but it is not always safe. Both John and our Lord Jesus would die from choosing to do so.

Luke 4

In Luke 4 we have a very thorough introduction to Jesus’ ministry.

First is the temptation. Jesus’ ministry begins by a display to the devil that he has no place in Jesus. Jesus is not bending to any of the devil’s ways.

Notice in v. 13 that the devil had finished "every" temptation. Surely the devil does not have only three temptations. Instead, these temptations towards Jesus represent the ways that the devil tempts us as well. In 1 Jn. 2:16, John speaks of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life.

Jesus’ temptations do fall well into those categories. The bread represents the lust of the flesh, the kingdoms of the world the lust of the eyes, and jumping off the temple to prove God’s support represents the boastful pride of life.

Jesus’ public ministry begins immediately after he shows the devil that he has no power in Jesus’ life. He’s rejected in his home town, but elsewhere his mighty works bring him great praise and a large following.

Of note is that the demons know him.

There is a real kingdom of darkness and a real kingdom of God. Jesus’ works broke the power of the kingdom of darkness, and the demons recognized their demise when he showed up. According to Jesus, this was proof that the kingdom of God was appearing in their midst (Matt. 12:28).

Luke 5:1-11: The Gospel and the Word of God

Today, we commonly reduce the Gospel to an outline. We believe there is a specific list of things that need to be said, most especially that Jesus died for our sins, in order for a person to be saved.

No one seems to have noticed that in the entire book of Acts, the apostles never told a lost person that Jesus died to forgive their sins. They preached the person of Christ, but they never mention the atonement or that Jesus’ death was the provision for the forgiveness of sins. (We’re doing Acts next week, so you’ll see this. The atonement is mentioned throughout the letters to the churches, written to Christians, who should know about the atonement.)

Jesus was not bound by such ideas. He knew that he was the answer, as a person. It wasn’t the facts about his ministry that would save people, but he himself would save people. The result that is needed from preaching is that people see Jesus and give their lives to him.

Thus, Jesus said all sorts of things that led to people’s salvation. In Simon’s case (who later became Peter), it was simply to throw his nets on the other side of the boat.

What was the result? Simon not only recognized that Jesus must be followed, but he saw that he was a sinful person, needing forgiveness. No explanation of the atonement or the sinfulness of man was necessary.

Luke 5:12-39

In verse 16, Luke quietly mentions that even with all the crowds, Jesus would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. Even Jesus, the Son of God, made it a habit to spend time alone with his Father. Surely, our need is even greater.

In verse 17, it seems worth pointing out that the power of the Lord was present to heal at that particular meeting. Were there meetings where the power of the Lord was not present to heal? Or not so strongly?

I see no indication that’s true, at least not when Jesus was present, but the statement arouses questions for me, and it certainly makes me wonder if our modern meetings might occasionally have situations where the Lord shows up wanting to heal. Will we notice that the power of the Lord is present?

You can compare the healing of the paralytic man in Acts 14:7-10, where Paul "perceived that he had faith to be healed."

Jesus goes on to use the healing of the paralytic here in Luke 5 as proof that he has authority on earth to forgive sins. There is no authority that God has that Jesus did not have on earth. Jesus lived a life of complete submission to his Father, but his authority was a completely divine authority with no power lacking.

Finally, vv. 29-39 are an excellent picture of the New Covenant. Jesus’ brings the Gospel to sinners, not to justify them in their sin, but to provide a hospital that will cure them of their sin (Rom. 8:3-13; Tit. 2:11-14).

This can’t happen while we’re old wineskins. We must be made into new creatures so that we can handle the new wine of Jesus’ New Covenant teaching.

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Through the Bible in a Year: Psalm 1-5

Posted on 03/16/2012 by Paul Pavao

This Week’s Reading Schedule

Friday’s (today’s) Bible Reading is Psalm 1-5

Next week is Luke beginning with chapters 1-5 on Monday.

The overall year’s plan is here.

Psalm 1

Psalm 1 is short, but it is one of the greatest promises in the Bible. If we will avoid evil ways and meditate and delight in the law of the Lord we will always prosper. We’ll be like a tree planted by a river. Even in drought, summer, and heat, we’ll prosper.

There is much to be said for zeal for God, even when it is misled zeal. God will take responsibility for the person whose goal is to please him. He will teach and guide such a person, and he will empower them in their ways. Thus, they can be misguided and make mistakes, but God will teach them and straighten their paths.

(As a clarification here, under the New Covenant, God expects this to happen in the church, with input from others, as the self-guided person is in danger of deception—Heb. 3:13; Eph. 4:11-16.)

Psalm 2

This is what is called a "Messianic Psalm." It addresses the coming Messiah.

Messiah is a Hebrew word meaning "Anointed One," and it applies to any person that the Lord anoints with oil or the Spirit, but it has always applied especially to the king of Israel. Of course, when we speak of "the" Messiah, that has meant the coming, final King, whom Christians believe to be Jesus.

The Messiah is spoken of as both judging and showing mercy to the nations at various points throughout prophecy. This is one of the judgment prophecies.

Of course, judgment and mercy is entirely dependent on our response to the Gospel. Thus Psalm 2 does not threaten, but it calls the nations to "worship the Lord with reverence" and to "do homage to the Son" (NASB).

Psalm 2 addresses the Messiah as "the Son," which we Christians know to be a reference to the fact that the Messiah is actually God’s Son. We’ll address the Trinity further when we get to passages that address it more directly.

Psalm 3

Most Bibles have introductions to the Psalms. Prayer Psalms like this one are much more interesting if you know the context. I use BibleGateway.com when I’m doing these commentaries, and its New American Standard Bible says that Psalm 3 was written while David was fleeing from his son Absalom (2 Sam. 15:1ff).

This psalm shows David’s heart, thoughts, and prayers in an incredible difficult situation where his own son has stolen his kingdom. I’ll let it speak for itself.

Psalm 4

Psalm 4 is an evening prayer.

I’m not going to comment on it. It’s a prayer to meditate on at the end of the day, and it speaks very well for itself.

Psalm 5

The context of Psalm 5 is a time when David is under a lot of distress from the wicked, perhaps during the time he was fleeing Saul in the wilderness, which we’ll get to in 2 Samuel.

Thus there is a strong emphasis on judgment and the difference between the way God treats the righteous and the wicked.

These kind of passages help resolve a conflict that exists today as well. Many churches teach that Jesus came to pay for sins so that it does not matter how we live, we can still be forgiven and go to heaven. This is nonsense and contradicted on almost every page of the Bible (e.g., 1 Cor. 6:9-11).

God is the same always. He has never stopped hating sin, and the point of God’s work is always to deliver us from sin, not to leave us wicked, then overlook sin.

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Through the Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 31-34

Posted on 03/15/2012 by Paul Pavao

This Week’s Reading Schedule

Thursday’s (today’s) Bible Reading is Deuteronomy 31-34
Friday, Mar. 16: Psalm 1-5

The overall year’s plan is here.

Deuteronomy 31:1-7: Be Courageous

The advice of Deut. 31:1-7 is quoted often and underestimated even more often. It takes courage to believe that the Lord is with you and to take a stand on his Word in whatever form it has come to you.

If we were honest, we would admit that for the most part, when it becomes difficult, we choose to act on what’s safe and not on the Word of God, which almost never seems safe.

Be courageous.

Deuteronomy 31:9-13

Moses calls for the entire Law to be read to the nation of Israel every seven years at the Feast of Booths. It seems likely that this rarely happened, and there were long periods when the Israelites were not familiar with the Law.

Deuteronomy 31-32: Moses’ Song

Moses warns the Israelites in advance that they are going to fall away. His song is an excellent picture of what they can expect if they do fall away, but it still leaves them with hope should they repent.

Deuteronomy 33: Moses’ Blessing

Moses blesses each of the tribes. Moses was not just saying words. He believed that the things he said were real blessings that would come to pass.

Some of the blessings are obscure enough that it seems certain that he was often speaking spiritually. He was a prophet and knew how to speak as he was moved by the Holy Spirit (something that should be true of all the Lord’s people under the New Covenant—Acts 2:17-18).

Not everything that you read needs to be understood right now. I am not doing any explanation of any of these blessings, yet because this is Scripture, breathed by God, we can be confident that there are spiritual messages throughout this chapter. The Scriptures will be a lifelong experience for us, and deep truths and encouragements will come from all of it. Here’s an entire chapter as an example. The best thing to do with it is not to have it explained to you, but, as the years pass, to learn to be spiritual, and God will have things to say to you through this and so many other chapters that are meant for later, not now.

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Through the Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 27-30

Posted on 03/14/2012 by Paul Pavao

This Week’s Reading Schedule

Wednesday (today), Mar. 14: Deuteronomy 27-30
Thursday, Mar. 15: Deuteronomy 31-34
Friday, Mar. 16: Psalm 1-5

The overall year’s plan is here.

Today’s Reading

From the beginning of Genesis, I mentioned that the Law of Moses is a suzerain covenant, a Middle Eastern Law. It consists of three parts:

  • What the King did for the people
  • What the King requires of the people
  • The blessings and curses for obedience or disobedience

Today we hit the final part of the Law, the blessings and curses. As we see, it was very formalized.

Deuteronomy 27:6: Uncut Stones

The Lord’s altar was always made with uncut stones. I’ve read excellent explanations of this, but the one I want to point out is that we are the Lord’s work. We who walk in the fullness of the Law, the Law of Christ, are shaped by the Lord’s hand, not by our own righteousness or our own idea of what is good and bad.

A person who has really learned that the New Covenant is not of the letter but of the Spirit is a person who will be learning constantly that the righteousness of God is not like our righteousness. He or she will be learning constantly that our righteousness always brings honor to self, no matter how holy it looks, while God’s righteousness serves others and glorifies God, no matter how unspiritual it looks.

There is no greater lesson for the New Covenant believer than that Christ is our life, and that we live by the Spirit and not by the letter.

Deuteronomy 27:11-13: Formal Blessings and Curses

The blessings and curses were not something that happened in passing. Half of Israel was on one mountain, half on the other, and the Levites in between, and all the curses were given a loud amen.

Deuteronomy 29: Israel and Its Future

The nation of Israel lived out all these blessings and curses throughout its history. We will read about many of them in the history sections of the Hebrew Scriptures, of course.

We will read about captivity and suffering, but we will also read about the incredible power of the blessing of God, as you read about in the incident with Balaam in Numbers (while I was on hiatus). In the histories, we will read about plenty of battles that were won by the miraculous power of God when Israel was under God’s blessing, often when they seemed not to deserve it.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14: The Word Is Near You

This passage is quoted in Romans 10. The point is that God’s Word is not something far away, but always near us, in front of us, so that his Word is something we can do.

Romans 10 applies this passage to the confession of Christ because the Word of Christ begins with our belief and confession of Christ (v. 6-13).

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Through the Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 23-26

Posted on 03/13/2012 by Paul Pavao

This Week’s Reading Schedule

Tuesday’s (today’s) Bible Reading is Deuteronomy 23-26
Wednesday, Mar. 14: Deuteronomy 27-30
Thursday, Mar. 15: Deuteronomy 31-34
Friday, Mar. 16: Psalm 1-5

The overall year’s plan is here.

Deuteronomy 23 (Mature)

The Law gets down to some details that I am not going to discuss.

Other details in this chapter are quite interesting, including the fact that the Israelites were not to charge interest to each other. Between that practice and the years of Jubilee it ensured that Israel could not have a debt problem.

Deuteronomy 24: Law of Divorce

Deuteronomy 24 begins with Israel’s law of divorce. Jesus has things to say about God’s real feelings about divorce in Matthew 19:3-12.

Deuteronomy 24: Respect

I find a lot of the laws in Deut. 24 have to do with respect. The chapter does mention being careful about leprosy. You don’t want something to begin and then spread, but the rest of the chapter shows the immense respect that the Israelites should have for one another.

Deuteronomy 25: The Judges

It is the judges who get to decree punishments in Israel. When the Law mentions "a tooth for a tooth," that is not a punishment that individuals can dish out. That is dished out by the judges.

Deuteronomy 25:4: Don’t Muzzle the Ox

This law, easy to skip over, is used by Paul to provide insight into how God sees the Law in 1 Cor. 9:8-14.

Deuteronomy 26: The Tithe

I missed out discussing the tithe in Deuteronomy 14, but as you can see in that chapter and this one, the tithe was not a batch of money used to support the temple. There were other taxes, such as the redemption of the firstborn and sacrifices, that supported the temple and priests.

The tithe was shared with all the needy of the town, usually at the feasts (see Deut. 14).

The community, mutual respect, and unity of Israel was important. The feasts, where the tithes were eaten and shared among the Israelites from each city, was a time of bringing the Israelites together.

This is going to be controversial to say, but tithing is simply not a New Testament principle. You will never find it mentioned in any of the letters to the churches, nor discussed in the early Christian writings.

In fact, history will show that tithing was reinstated in France under Pepin the Short to help support the monks in the 8th century.

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Through the Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 19 Through 22

Posted on 03/12/2012 by Paul Pavao

I’m sorry I’ve been gone so long! I’m back, hopefully with enough energy to continue this for good. (You can always track my progress at Thrilled to Death: Paul Pavao’s Leukemia Blog.)

This Week’s Reading Schedule

Today’s Bible Reading is Deuteronomy 19-22
Tuesday, Mar. 13: Deuteronomy 23-26
Wednesday, Mar. 14: Deuteronomy 27-30
Thursday, Mar. 15: Deuteronomy 31-34
Friday, Mar. 16: Psalm 1-5

The overall year’s plan is here.

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 19-22

Today’s reading can give us a sense of God’s fairness, if we keep in mind the context of the culture of the ancient Middle East. There are things we’ll read today and tomorrow that seem shocking to us in modern times, but the ancient Middle East was a much different culture than ours.

This applies especially to the war passages. Not fighting and winning wars meant that your enemies would come fight you, kill your men, and abduct your families.

Whatever we think of that, Israel was a part of and new to that world. They were God’s earthly nation, and they fought earthly wars.

Let us remember, though, that the church of Jesus Christ is part of a heavenly nation, and as a result it does not fight earthly wars the way Israel did (Jn. 18:36).

Deuteronomy 20

I just want to point out Deut. 20:1-9 as an interesting approach to providing an army for Israel. At this point in their history, Israel had no professional soldiers, so the warriors were all the men of Israel. This chapter describes how they were chosen and how they were to fight.

Deuteronomy 21

Verses 18-20 of this chapter always stands out to me. Righteousness was taken seriously, and a rebellious youth that couldn’t be controlled was simply put to death.

For the same reason, rebellious members of the church are not to be allowed to stay in the church. The "loaf" must not be leavened, and so wicked members are to be put out (1 Cor. 5).

Deuteronomy 21:22-23: Cursed Is He Who Hangs Upon a Tree

This passage could easily be missed, but it is an important part of prophecy and the work of Christ. Jesus died upon a cross, of course, but because it was made of wood, he is said to have died upon a tree. Thus, according to this passage, he was cursed.

God left nothing that was not taken care of. In bringing the Law to fullness, he also took care of the curse on the Law. This is quoted and discussed in Galatians 3, and we’ll discuss that more when we get to Galatians.

Deuteronomy 22 (Mature)

This is another chapter that must be read in context of the ancient Middle East. It is definitely a parental guidance chapter.

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Through the Bible in a Year: Numbers 1 Through 4

Posted on 02/20/2012 by Paul Pavao

Reading Schedule and Intro

Today’s Bible Reading is Numbers 1-4
Tuesday, Feb. 21: Numbers 5-8
Wednesday, Feb. 22: Numbers 9-12
Thursday, Feb. 23: Numbers 13-16
Friday, Feb. 24: Numbers 17-20

We will spend these next four weeks in Numbers and Deuteronomy, and thus complete the entire Torah, or Law of Moses. Don’t bail out! You may not realize it yet, but Numbers and Deuteronomy are two of the most exciting books in the whole Bible.

The overall year’s plan is here.

My commentaries are sometimes long. The Bible is the priority. Read it first, and my commentaries are carefully sectioned so you can find the passage you may want help on. Please use the comment section of my blog if I missed something or you have something to add!

Numbers 1: The Tribes of Israel

Here you get a taste of the fact that the twelve tribes of Israel are not as simple as the twelve sons of Israel.

The twelve tribes are numbered but Joseph is numbered twice, once by his son Ephraim, and once by his son Manasseh. Levi, meanwhile, is not numbered at all, and a full explanation of this is given in v. 47-54.

Numbers 2: The Camp Around the Tabernacle

The Tent of Meeting was set up to face east. In chapter 1 we saw that the Levites would camp around it. The rest of the tribes camped in sets of threes in the four different directions.

Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun camped directly in front of the Tabernacle to the east. Judah was in charge of this group.

To the south side Reuben camped with Simeon and Gad. When Israel moved forward they would follow the camp of Judah, and these three tribes would move under the standard of Reuben.

When they marched Reuben would be followed by the Levites with the Tent of Meeting, making the center of the column of the Israelites.

On the west side was Ephraim accompanied by Manasseh and Benjamin. They marched third.

Finally, on the north was Dan accompanied by Asher and Naphtali. They would march at the rear of the column of Israelites.

It is probably worth noting that this east, south, west, north camping style made the camp the shape of a cross. Even the furniture of the tent of meeting, when set up, made the shape of a cross. From the beginning of the Hebrew Scriptures to the very end of the apostles writings, God makes it clear that to him, the cross is the center of history.

Numbers 3: The Levites for the Firstborn

God takes the Levites for the tabernacle, and he exchanges them person for person for the firstborn who were sanctified to him after the plague of the Firstborn in Egypt.

The numbered parts of the Levites that you want to notice because they will continue to be referenced through the Hebrew Scriptures are the families of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. They each have a section to the west, south, and north, while the families of Aaron and Moses took the east side in front of the tabernacle.

As it turned out there were a few more Firstborn than there were Levites, so they were redeemed at 5 shekels a piece. The Firstborn who were in excess of the 22,000 paid those 5 sheckels each.

Chapter 4: The Role of the Levites

You see already that the role of the Levites is divided among the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites. They will remain central, though further in the future other other Levites will be come to known for their music and other roles, in particular the sons of Korah.

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Through the Bible in a Year: Mark 14 Through 16

Posted on 02/17/2012 by Paul Pavao

Reading Schedule and Intro

Today’s Bible Reading is Mark 14-16

Next week we will go back to Numbers and spend four weeks completing Numbers and Deuteronomy, and thus the entire Torah, or Law of Moses. Don’t bail out! You may not realize it yet, but Numbers and Deuteronomy are two of the most exciting books in the whole Bible.

The overall year’s plan is here.

My commentaries are sometimes long. The Bible is the priority. Read it first, and my commentaries are carefully sectioned so you can find the passage you may want help on. Please use the comment section of my blog if I missed something or you have something to add!

Today’s Reading: Mark 14-16

I’ve been too weak to write the last couple of days, and today’s reading is primarily story. It’s a story you’re familiar with from reading Matthew as well.

As a result, I’m just going to make a few comments about the passage overall. If you have specific questions or comments of your own, use the comment section.

The New Covenant

Today’s story is above all the founding of the New Covenant. At the end, the apostles are sent into all the world, not just to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Baptism (Advanced)

In the Protestant world, baptism has became one more victim of the over-emphasis on "faith alone."

To Jesus and the apostles, it was expected that everyone who believed the Gospel would respond by being baptized. Nowadays, at least among Protestants, we generally respond with a "sinner’s prayer," and baptism is sort of an afterthought, done as a public testimony.

If you read the Scriptures on baptism in the apostles’ writings, you’ll see that it’s always the first response to the Gospel. I’ll be pointing that out as we go through Acts.

Because it’s a controversial subject, I am going to cover a couple verses now.

The apostle Paul’s conversion, when he was still called Saul, is told a couple times in the book of Acts. Once, Luke narrates Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus (9:1-22), and once Paul testifies concerning his experience before a hostile crowd in Jerusalem (22:5-16).

Paul has an encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus that blinds him. He obeys Jesus and goes to Damascus to wait for Ananias to show up and tell him what to do. When he does, Ananias says:

What are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (22:16)

Paul received the Spirit at that point, too, along with his sight, when Ananias laid hands on him.

The point is that Paul’s sins weren’t forgiven until he was baptized, calling on the name of the Lord.

As I said, that is the normal New Testament response to hearing the Gospel. If you believed, then you were baptized into Christ, dying to your old life, and rising to new life in him (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27).

There is an exception in Acts. The first time the Gospel was ever brought to the Gentiles, it was Peter doing the preaching. It took visions and miracles for God to convince Peter he should be there (Acts 10:1-35), and even then he had no idea he was allowed to baptize Gentiles (10:47-48).

Therefore, God found it necessary to pour out the Holy Spirit on Cornelius and his household separate from baptism, showing Peter that it was acceptable to baptize Gentiles (10:36 – 11:18).

Perhaps God is just as flexible today when we have been confused into thinking that baptism is a mere public testimony rather than the proper entrance rite into the new covenant. It is not good, however, to depend on God’s flexibility, but it is good for us to walk in what God has established.

Mark 16:17-18: Signs

This list of signs are all things that have indeed followed those who have preached the Gospel. We must not forget, however, that Jesus said it is wrong to put the Lord our God to the test (Matt. 4:7).

It is wrong and foolish to drink poison on purpose or to attempt to get a snake to bite you on purpose. That is not "signs following." It is presumption and putting God to the test.

Mark 16:9-20: Textual Issues

The earliest manuscripts of Mark end at 16:8. There is no way to determine whether that’s an omission or whether verses 9-20 were added later.

There is nothing in those verses that is going to change anything we believe unless we presumptuously put God to the test by trying to be bitten by poisonous snakes or by drinking poison.

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Through the Bible in a Year: Mark 11 Through 13

Posted on 02/16/2012 by Paul Pavao

Reading Schedule and Intro

Today’s Bible Reading is Mark 11-13
Friday, Feb. 17: Mark 14-16

Next week we will go back to Numbers and spend four weeks completing Numbers and Deuteronomy, and thus the entire Torah, or Law of Moses. Don’t bail out! You may not realize it yet, but Numbers and Deuteronomy are two of the most exciting books in the whole Bible.

The overall year’s plan is here.

My commentaries are sometimes long. The Bible is the priority. Read it first, and my commentaries are carefully sectioned so you can find the passage you may want help on. Please use the comment section of my blog if I missed something or you have something to add!

Mark 11:1-11: The Triumphal Entry

Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the people lay coats and palms on the road for him, announcing that he is the son of David, coming in the name of the Lord.

He won’t get such glorious reception a few days later as he is led out of Jerusalem.

Mark 11:12-14: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

The purpose of cursing the fig tree is to illustrate that it is not enough to appear to bear fruit. A real attachment to God produces real fruit.

Mark 11:15-18: Driving the Money Changers from the Temple

Jesus was very angry with those who turned the worship of God into commerce, and he drove the money changers out of the temple with whips.

Mark 11:19-26: The Lesson of the Fig Tree

Jesus and his disciples were returning to Bethany each night after spending the day in Jerusalem at the feast. In the morning, they noticed that the fig tree that Jesus had cursed was withered up. He gives them a very large promise:

"Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you." (v. 22-24, NASB)

He then adds that as we pray, we must forgive those who have sinned against us or our Father will not forgive us, either.

Even with this addition, Jesus makes it clear that remarkable things can be done by those with faith.

Faith, however, is a gift of God (1 Cor. 13:2), and it does not grow by our wishful longing to have more faith. It grows by hearing the Word of God and living obedient to it (Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5-10).

Mark 11:27-33: The Pharisees Confront Jesus

As I’ve pointed out, Jesus’ mind is set on his death and resurrection at this point. Taking on Jesus verbally is to take on the Lion of God who is not holding anything back.

Not only does Jesus effectively answer the Pharisees’ challenge, but notice the end of Jesus’ answer. The Pharisees say they don’t know the answer to Jesus’ question, but Jesus makes it clear that they are really refusing to answer his question: "Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things" (v. 33, NASB).

Mark 12:1-12: The Kingdom of God Taken from the Jews

Once again we have the parable of the vinedressers. Not many people today realize what an important parable this is. This is Jesus statement that the kingdom of God is being taken away from the Jews and their leaders, and it is being given to a new nation, one composed of Jews and Gentiles alike, who’s one uniting factor is the faith of Abraham. Whomever believes now has access to the kingdom of God.

The idea of the Gentiles being fellow-heirs of the kingdom of God is called a great mystery (Eph. 3:3-6), but it is discussed repeatedly throughout Paul’s letters.

Before Jesus died, there was an emphasis on his ministry to the lost sheep of Israel. After he died—that is, after the vineyard workers put the Son to death—the vineyard is given to other more worthy. It is at Jesus’ death that Israel stops being the blessing to the world, and the Gospel, preached to all the world, becomes the blessing and all people are allowed to press into the kingdom of God.

Mark 12:13-27

Still not realizing whom they are up against, the Pharisees, Herodians, and scribes take him on more openly, and they are trounced openly. It’s not wise to debate the Word of God himself.

Mark 12:28-34

After the hostile scribes, a scribe shows up with an honest discussion with Jesus, and Jesus is very open with him. "You are not far from the kingdom of God," Jesus tells him.

I like to think that the only thing in the way for that scribe is that he needs to move from being an approver of Jesus’ teachings to being a learner of Jesus’ teachings.

Mark 12:35-37: David’s Son and David’s Lord Alike

This comes up in all the Gospels, and it inspires the people and silences the Pharisees. I have to admit that I don’t think I understand all of what Jesus is saying here. I do know that Jesus is the Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father before the beginning, and that he is also humanly born through Mary, thus truly being the son of David. Nonetheless, I think there’s more to be learned here.

Mark 12:38-40: Beware of the Scribes

Mark is shorter than Matthew. Matthew’s huge and scathing chapter 23 is reduced to these three verses.

Mark 12:41-44: The Widow’s Mite

Jesus takes advantage of a real situation to teach us about giving. This widow gave till it hurt, a real act of trust in God and of love toward the recipient of her gift. He calls her gift greater than anyone put into the treasury.

Giving is good, and giving until it hurts is good … if you’re giving to the right place. Giving to rich preachers in rich suits on the promise that God is going to bless you for doing so is not giving to God. Proverbs says that he who gives to the poor lends to the Lord (19:17), and James calls true religion taking care of widows and orphans (1:26). Give your money where it matters. Giving to rich preachers is not giving to God.

Mark 13:1-37

This is Mark’s equivalent of Matthew 24. Like Matthew 24, much of it can be clearly seen to have been fulfilled in A.D. 70, when the Roman General Titus destroyed Jerusalem and tore the temple into rubble.

Other parts seem clearly to be future.

As I’ve pointed out, dual prophecy is common in Scripture.

Prophecy can serve many purposes. One purpose of this prophecy is that the Christians listened to Jesus, and when they saw Jerusalem surrounded and under attack by the Romans in A.D. 70, they fled without waiting, and all of them survived.

One other purpose is stated by Jesus himself at the end of Mark 13. We don’t know when these things are coming, so we are to be busy with our Father’s business, not becoming lazy, not mistreating our fellow servants, but doing those things which he has called us to do.

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