Below are my thoughts for each of the chapters we studied this week (chapters 19-24) along with the answers to the questions I posted in the study guide.

Make sure that you get a copy of the coloring page I have pasted below. Have a great weekend!

Please note: I’ll be taking a break for my daughter’s wedding and Christmas. I will return sometime in January with the second half of our Bible study on Exodus. I’ll send out an email when I have more details for you. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy some time with my family, read the Bible,  and study some books on Jewish history.

Have a merry Christmas and an awesome new year!

Luke 19

My thoughts on this chapter…

I loved reading about Zacchaeus. I loved reading about his passion and his zeal to serve Christ. It warmed my heard to read about Zacchaeus climbing the tree, and watching as Jesus walked by.

He was rich, but his heart wasn’t evil. I saw his generosity as a sign of repentance. Zaccheaus loved Jesus and He was ready to serve him.

In this chapter we learn much about servants as we read the parable of the ten pounds (minas). We see that the difference between those who desire to please the king, and those who despise Him, are the way that they spend their days until the king comes. Are we investing our time in His kingdom, or are we merely biding our time ‘till He comes?

Questions and Answers…

Why do you think tax collectors were looked down upon in those days?

Zaccaeus gives us a glimpse into the life of a tax collector (a publican) when he says, “if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”

Bible-history.com says, “During the time of Jesus in the first century Israel, there were publicans and tax collectors who could walk up to a man and tax him for what he was carrying, and much more. These tax collectors were hated and despised because they were usually fellow Jews who worked for Rome. There were many taxes needed from the provinces to administrate the Roman Empire.”

A tax collector was different from the chief tax collector. Zacchaeus was a “chief tax collector,” which meant that he oversaw a group of tax collectors. This would also explain why he was wealthy.

Tax collectors were often Jewish men who were despised by their own people. Not only did they work for the Romans (the Gentiles) but they were known to extort more money than was needed, so they could pocket the rest.

Zacchaeus was a wealthy man. How does his attitude differ from that of the rich man in the previous chapter?

Unlike the rich man in the previous chapter, Zacchaeus wasn’t asked to sell everything he had, and give it to the poor. But here’s the thing… Zacchaeus wasn’t attached to his money like the rich man was. He had open hands that were ready to give. This was the difference between the two. Money in itself isn’t evil, but the love of money is. The love of money stood between the rich man of chapter 18 and his devotion to God. Zacchaeus was willing to remove anything that stood between himself and his savior.

In the parable of the ten servants, what does the money represent?

In verse 11 we see that Jesus was near Jerusalem, and they thought that the kingdom of God would immediately appear to them, and so Jesus shares a parable with them.

In this parable, Jesus is the nobleman. He is to be king, but first He would be rejected by the people. The money (or the minas as some translations have it) represents the opportunities we have to build His kingdom until He returns. Upon His return we will be accountable for the investments we’ve made:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. – 1 Corinthians 5:10

How did the king respond to those who invested the money? How did he respond to those who didn’t?

Everyone who invested was rewarded, and to everyone who didn’t invest it was taken away. Likewise, those who serve Christ will be rewarded with heavenly rewards.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, riding on the donkey, He was fulfilling a prophecy from the Old Testament. Can you find that verse?

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” – Zechariah 9:9

 

Luke 20

My thoughts on this chapter…

As I reading through this chapter my first thought was that I need to learn more about the relationship between the Jews and Romans. As I started to dig into it a bit, so much of this book became clear.

So many of the references in the New Testament fit together when you look a them in the context of that time.

For example, in this chapter, the Pharisees try to trap Jesus by asking him about a coin, “Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?”

This wouldn’t be a trap under normal circumstances, but the topic of taxes and paying taxes to Caesar was a sore point to the Jews who were heavily taxed by the Romans.

Would Jesus side with the Jews, or would He side with the Romans? Read this chapter and you’ll find out!

Questions and Answers…

In the parable of the Tenants, who is the owner of the vineyard, who are the servants he sent, who is his son, who are those that rejected and killed the son, and finally who are the others that he gave the vineyard to?

The Lord of the vineyard is God the Father, the servants are the prophets of the Old Testament. The beloved so is Jesus.

Those who rejected the Son were the Jewish nation, and those who He gave the vineyard to were the Gentiles and also those Jews who believed in the Son.

Why did the chief priests and the teachers want to arrest Jesus?

At this time, the Jews were under Roman law. They were governed under Roman rule. If you remember, Luke 2:1 says, “a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.” (Augustus was the first emperor of the Roman empire). Mary and Joseph went from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be taxed.

The Jews despised the Romans, and they despised the tax collectors that the Romans hired to tax them.

They were however pandering to the Romans in a sense. The Jews retained their right to make sacrifices and practice Levitical Law under Roman rule. The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were careful not to compromise that right.

When we understand this relationship between the Jews and the Romans we can better understand the book of Luke. We can see why they hated the tax collectors (publicans) and why they tried to trap Jesus with a question in this chapter about paying taxes to Caesar.

John 11:45-48 tells us that the Pharisees were concerned because people were starting to believe that Christ was the Messiah. If that happened, the Romans might see Him as a threat, set themselves against the Jewish nation, and take away their privileges.

Jesus quoted scripture saying, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” Where else does this appear in the Bible? What does it mean?

“The stone which the builders rejected has become the head stone of the corner.” – Psalm 118:22

Christ was rejected by His people because He didn’t come into the world the way that they expected Him to. They wanted a king who would sit on a throne and release them from the Roman empire, and so they rejected him the same way that a contractor might reject a stone. This stone however excelled the others, as a cornerstone is the most important stone in the structure of a building. It supports the weight on two sides, and if that stone isn’t good—if it isn’t placed just right–the entire structure could crumble.

What is a Sadducee?

They were Jews that didn’t believe in the resurrection. Some call them Moses-only people because they got their doctrine from the five books of Moses (the Torah) They aslo rejected the idea of angels.

What does Jesus reveal about resurrected believers and the afterlife in this chapter?

That believers will be resurrected.

What did Moses say that signified he believed in the resurrection?

In Exodus 3:6, Moses wrote, “Moreover he said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

Jesus quotes the words of Moses because He was speaking to the Moses-only Sadducees. “

Pulpit commentary writes, “The meaning of the Lord’s argument is, “God would never have called himself the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, if these patriarchs, after their short lives, had become mere crumbling dust. God cannot be the God of a being who does not exist.”

Where in the Psalms did David write, “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?”

Psalm 110:1

 

Luke 21

My thoughts on this chapter…

So many of the signs Jesus talks about are here already. We know the time is near. He could come at anytime, and so we need to ask ourselves if we’re prepared for His coming. Are we using the resources we have to build His kingdom? Are we ready to stand before the judgment seat of Christ having done all that we could? If the answer is no, then we need to get down on our knees and allow God to shape us according to His will and His purpose.

 

Luke 22

My thoughts on this chapter…

The time of persecution was near. We still see persecution of the church today as martyrs give up their lives for their faith daily. Jesus inspires us to press on in the face of persecution by staying grounded in faith and focused on the will of God.

Peter is an example to us that anyone can fall at anytime. He was zealous to serve the Master, but failed miserably when he denied Christ three times. It’s for this reason that we must be alert, sober minded, and strong. In addition to that, we must be fervent in prayer asking that God would help us to recognize temptation and give us the strength to endure.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8

Questions and Answers…

What feast was drawing near?

The feast of unleavened bread.

What is The Passover?

The Passover is a festival that celebrates Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, when the angel of death passed over those homes that had blood on their door posts as a symbol of their faith in God.

What is the difference between these two feast? Or is there a difference?

The Passover is the first day, the following seven days are the feast of unleavened bread, making the entire festival 8 days long.

Why were the chief priests and the teachers trying to get rid of Jesus?

At this time in history, the Jews were under Roman law, but they were still still offered the opportunity to make sacrifices and practice Levitical (Jewish) Law.

John 11:45-48 tells us that the Pharisees were concerned because people were starting to believe that Christ was the Messiah. If that happened, the Romans might see Him as a threat, set themselves against the Jewish nation, and take away their privileges.

In the last supper, what did the bread represent, and what did the wine represent?

The bread represents His body which was broken for us when He took our place on the cross. The wine represents His blood which was shed for the remission of sins.

When we partake of communion we honor Him by remembering the sacrifices He made, and the ultimate sacrifice that He was.

What honor will be given to the 12 apostles in the kingdom of heaven? FYI: Obviously Judas will not be one of the 12. Who the other one might be (Paul or Mathias) is not clear in scripture, so one can only speculate. Also see Matthew 19:28.

They would sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

In verse 36, Jesus says, “He that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.” This is in contrast to Luke 10:4. Why has He changed His instructions?

The time for violence had come. The time for persecution of the church was drawing near. The time for His death was at hand.

He is warning His disciples of the coming doom upon believers, when disciples would be put to death.

It’s not that Jesus wanted them to fight back (as we see in Matthew 26:52, when He told Peter, to put away His sword) but that rather figuratively they would be prepared for the coming persecution they would soon face.

Can you find the 3 times that Peter denied Jesus? Which verses are they?

Verses 57, 58, and 60.

What happened immediately after the cock crowed?

Peter wept bitterly.

What signifies Peter’s sorrow and repentance?

He wept bitterly. And again, throughout the book of Acts, we see Peter boldly sharing the word of God, despite the persecution of the church.

Luke 23

My thoughts on this chapter…

As we read this chapter, we see that Luke doesn’t go into as much detail as Matthew and John do, and so it’s a good idea to open all four gospels to compare the account of the crucifixion.

What struck me the most was the humility of Christ during all of this pain. Herod was eager to see miracles, and perhaps a display of His power could have changed the course of the day, but Jesus was focused on the will of His Father and nothing but that will.

He suffered more than any of us could imagine because He loves us deeply, and desires nothing more than to please His Father in Heaven.

Questions and Answers…

What lie do we see in verse 2?

They claimed that he was forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar. In Mark 12:17 however, Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Why was Herod glad to see Jesus?

He had heard about Jesus and was hoping to see some of the miracles that Jesus did. He was offended however, when Jesus wouldn’t speak a word to him.

Why were the people bent on destroying Jesus when both Pilate and Herod said they found no fault in Him.

The Pharisees and the chief priests were threatened by the miracles and His popularity, thinking the Jewish people might hail Him as king, thus upsetting the Romans.

They formed a council to discuss this.

“If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.” – John 11:48

It was then that the High Priest, Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, “And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.” – John 11:52-53

Why was Barabbas in prison?

For murder and for starting a riot in the city.

What are some of the ways that Jesus was tortured and tormented?

He was mocked and fed vinegar.

John 19 goes further into depth:

He was whipped

They put a crown of thorns on His head

They slapped His face and mocked Him

He carried His cross

He was crucified – nails through His hands and His feet

He was stripped of His clothes

They pierced His side with a spear

What did the two men on the cross beside Jesus each say?

One said, “ If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.” (v. 39)

The other said, “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation. And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.” And he said unto Jesus, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” (v. 40-42)

Compare Matthew 2:2 to this chapter. What prophecy do we see fulfilled?

The wise men asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

“ And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews.” – Luke 23:38

What miraculous events took place at the time Jesus took His last breath? You might also want to refer to other gospels for more information.

Luke 23:46 – Jesus cried out, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”

Matthew 27:45 – Darkness covered the land for three hours.

Matthew 27:51 – The veil of the temple was ripped from top to bottom, there was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces.

Matthew 27:52 – The graves were opened and many of the saints rose and appeared in Jerusalem (it says after His resurrection).

In this chapter, we read about a man named Joseph. What did he do for our Savior?

Joseph of Arimathaea went to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus so that he might give him a proper burial.

He wrapped Jesus in linen, placed Him in a tomb and rolled a stone over the opening.

 

Luke 24

My thoughts on this chapter…

Jesus not only died for our sins–He was also resurrected. This part of His incredible story is vital to our faith. We serve a God who is alive.  He’s preparing a home for each and every person who believes and obeys. We serve a powerful God who is able to bring us into His eternal kingdom because He is the Lord of life and death.

Everything around us is passing away. This world and everything in it is a temporary place. We have a hope that is greater than anything we possibly imagine for ourselves–all because our Savior loved us, and gave up His life.

Questions and Answers…

Who were the women that went to the tomb?

Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women

What did they bring with them? Why? (Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56)

sweet spices and ointment.

In John 19:38-40 we read that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus brought 100 pound weight of embalming ointment made from myrrh and aloes when they prepared Jesus’ body for burial. This was customary for the Jews upon burial.

Here we see the women returning to the tomb, days later with spices and ointment once again. This may not have been necessary, since He was previously embalmed, and so perhaps it was to show honor to His body.

Why is an empty tomb an important part of this gospel, and of great importance to our faith?

Unlike false gods who were either never alive or have since died and decayed our God is alive and always will be. When Jesus rose from the dead, He took away the sting of death paving the way for all who believe in His name. We too shall be resurrected as He was.

Without the resurrection we have no hope beyond this world, but because He broke the chains of sin and death we have a home on the other side of this life. We have a hope we rest in.

Which disciple/disciples ran to the tomb?

John 20 tells us that Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved ran to the tomb, but the other disciple outran Peter and arrived first.

Who was the first person Jesus appeared to after His resurrection?   See  John 20:14-16

Mary Magdalene was standing near the tomb crying when the two disciples left. When Jesus spoke to her, she thought He was a gardener, until He said her name. At that moment she knew this was her master.

“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” (v. 17)

How did Jesus prove to His disciples that He was who He said He was?

That same evening, He appeared to His disciples, showing them His hands, His feet, and His side. Eight days later, He appeared to them again when Thomas was present, because Thomas wouldn’t believe it was Jesus until he saw Him with his own eyes and touched His wounds.

What were the apostles instructed to preach in His name?

Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (v. 47)

What coming promise did He leave with them?

The promise of the Father that Jesus mentions in this chapter is the Holy Ghost (The Comforter), which we see in John 14:

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” – John 14:16-18

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” – John 14:26

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