Luke Study Notes

1:1-4 Using elegant Greek, Luke began his declaration of those things of Jesus' life and ministry with a formal preface. This was a common practice in historical works of Luke's era. His prologue: (1) acknowledged previous treatments of the subject, (2) stated his methodology, (3) identified the recipient, and (4) articulated his purpose for writing.

1:1 A number of others had previously written about the life and works of Jesus. This may include the Gospels of Mark and Matthew since they preceded Luke's writing. What was believed refers to how Jesus fulfilled many OT prophecies (see note at 24:44-45).

1:2 Eyewitnesses included Mary, the mother of Jesus, about whom Luke wrote more than any other NT author. Mary may have still been alive when Luke wrote his Gospel. Ministers of the word refers to the apostles of Jesus but may also include His brothers, James and Jude, who also wrote NT books.

1:3 Luke did not find the previous narratives to be erroneous or inadequate; he wrote his Gospel to complement them. Luke studied the life and ministry of Jesus in meticulous detail and with comprehensive scope, including many aspects related to the births of John the Baptist and Jesus (from the very first) that are not found in the other Gospels. In order does not mean strict chronological sequence, but in an orderly manner, whether chronological (generally) or topical. On most excellent Theophilus, see Introduction.

1:4 Luke's stated purpose for writing his Gospel was to provide historical certainty and theological clarity for Theophilus in regard to what he had been taught about Jesus.

1:5 King Herod the Great was an Idumean appointed by the Roman emperor to rule Judaea from 37–4 b.c. His realm also covered Samaria, Galilee, and parts of Perea and Syria. The events that immediately follow probably occurred in 7–6 b.c. The priesthood of Israel was made up of 24 divisions, including the house of Abia ("Abijah" in 1 Chron. 24:10). Elisabeth and her husband Zacharias were from priestly families. This is the first instance of Luke's regular emphasis on the vital role that women played throughout Jesus' life.

1:6-7 The words righteous and blameless refer to consistent obedience to God's commandments and ordinances, but more foundationally to living by faith. This is how Abraham was justified before God (Gen. 15:6; Gal. 3:6-7,9). Like Abraham and Sarah, despite their godliness, Zacharias and Elisabeth had no child, which was considered a curse from God (see note at v v. 24-25).

1:8-9 Twice a year the priestly division of Abijah (see note at v. 5) was on duty at the Jerusalem temple for a week. Out of hundreds of priests in his division, Zacharias was chosen by the casting of a lot (see notes at Prov. 16:33; Acts 1:24-26) to burn incense on the altar in front of the holy of holies, a privileged duty that a priest could perform only once in his life. In fact, many never enjoyed this privilege because the lot never fell to them.

1:10 The time of incense was 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. daily.

1:11-12 On an angel of the Lord, see note at verse 19. Fear upon seeing an angel is common in Luke (v. 29; 2:9) and elsewhere in Scripture (Judg. 6:22-23; Dan. 8:16-17).

1:13 Thy prayer may refer to Zacharias and Elisabeth praying to have a child, or it could have been the prayer a priest was to offer at the altar for the redemption of Israel. John means "the Lord is gracious."

1:14-15 Joy is the prevailing mood of the first two chapters of Luke's Gospel (v v. 44,47,58; 2:10). As great as John would be, he was still only the forerunner for the coming Messiah. The prohibition against wine indicates that John the Baptist was under a lifelong Nazirite vow (Num. 6:1-21). On filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb, see note at verses 41-45 (cp. Eph. 5:18-21).

1:16-17 The angel spoke of conversion, the result of repentance, which John the Baptist preached forcefully (3:3). Making ready a people prepared for the Lord echoes the essence of the prophecy in Isa. 40:3-5 (see Luke 3:4-6). Malachi 4:5-6 prophesied that an Elijah-like figure would come and turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. That new Elijah would be John the Baptist.

1:18 Like Abraham (Gen. 15:8) and Sarah (Gen. 18:10-15), Zacharias had a difficult time believing God would fulfill His promise in his old age.

1:19 Gabriel means "strong man of God." He is one of only two angels named in Scripture. The other is Michael (Dan. 12:1; Rev. 12:7).

1:20 As punishment for doubting the angel's pronouncement, Zacharias was rendered mute and possibly deaf as well (v. 62).

1:22 Since Gabriel had rendered him speechless (v. 20), Zacharias was unable to pronounce the traditional Aaronic blessing (Num. 6:24-26) upon the crowd. They realized he had seen a vision, likely because they noted his facial expressions and the excited signs he made with his hands.

1:23 Each priest was only on duty for a week at a time. His house was in the Judaean hill country, not far from Jerusalem (v. 39).

1:24-25 Elisabeth withdrew and hid herself for five months after she miraculously conceived. Why did she do this? Some speculate that she feared miscarrying during the early months of pregnancy. More likely she recognized that her unusual pregnancy would draw unwelcome attention if it became widely known. Better to have a restful start to a pregnancy that came so late in life.

1:26-38 Here the announcement of Jesus' coming birth is told from Mary's perspective. Matthew gives it from Joseph's vantage point (Matt. 1:18-23).

1:26 In the sixth month of Elisabeth's pregnancy, Gabriel, the same angel who had appeared to Zacharias previously (v. 19), was dispatched by God to Nazareth. This was a small village in Galilee, a region north of Judaea and Samaria.

1:27 Virgin (Gk parthenos) echoes the prophecy of the virgin birth in Isa. 7:14 (Matt. 1:18-25). According to Jewish law, being espoused was just as legally binding as being married (Matt. 1:18-19). The house of David refers to the tribe of Judah, from which prophecies said the Messiah would come (Gen. 49:9-10).

1:28-30 Mary was favoured because the Lord set His undeserved grace upon her, not because she had earned good standing. Understandably, she was troubled (Gk diatarasso; "confused, perplexed") by Gabriel's visit and greeting, wondering how she had come to receive such an honor. Gabriel's admonishment that Mary fear not was the same thing he said to Zacharias (v. 13).

1:31-33 The miracle that would cause Mary to conceive would be a far greater miracle than the one that caused Elisabeth to conceive in old age (v v. 13,18) because, unlike Elisabeth, Mary was still a virgin (v. 34). The name Jesus (Gk Iesous) is equivalent to the Hebrew Yehoshua (Joshua), meaning "the Lord is salvation." He would be the Son of God Himself (v. 35) because God created the life in Mary's womb without the aid of a human father (see note at v v. 34-35). Humanly speaking, though, Jesus' lineage would be traced legitimately through the royal family of David (see note at 3:23-28) because Joseph, Jesus' adoptive father, was a descendant of David. This made Jesus heir to David's throne according to God's eternal covenant (see 2 Sam. 7:13,16).

1:34-35 The difference between Mary's response and Zacharias's (v. 18) is that Mary asked her question not from unbelief but from puzzlement (v. 38; see note at v. 20). The answer to Mary's question is that the Holy Ghost would overshadow (Gk episkiazo) her and cause her to conceive (see note at v v. 31-33). Because the Holy Spirit was the agent of conception, the child (that holy thing; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15) would be the Son of God.

1:36-37 If ever Mary was tempted to doubt God's promise to her, she could consider Elisabeth and recall Gabriel's words that with God nothing shall be impossible, as had also been shown in the life of Sarah (Gen. 18:14).

1:38 Mary's response is a classic model of humble commitment and willing obedience.

1:39-40 Shortly after Gabriel left, Mary traveled to Juda to check on her relative, Elisabeth, who she had just learned was pregnant (see note at v v. 36-37).

1:41-45 The babe (John) being filled with the Holy Ghost in utero (v. 15) fulfilled Gabriel's prediction to Zacharias. But Elisabeth was filled with the Spirit also (v. 41), and the Spirit's revelations to her were apparently the source of her knowledge about the blessed roles and identities of Mary and her unborn child. When baby John leaped inside Elisabeth, she understood that he had experienced great joy at Mary's presence.

1:46-55 Mary's hymn of praise is known as the "Magnificat," so named for the Latin term rendered as magnify (Gk megaluno). It is similar in tone to the song of Hannah (1 Sam. 2:1-10).

1:46-49 There is a beautiful balance in Mary's hymn of praise. She expressed recognition of the greatness and holy nature of God and His grace on His voluntary slave, but also an awareness that God's unique calling on her life would result in all future generations calling her blessed. She viewed herself as both low and exalted.

1:50-53 These verses recall the descriptions of God's justice found throughout the Psalms (e.g., Ps. 100:5; 103:11). Them that fear him is an OT expression equivalent to the NT idea of faith. His arm is figurative for God's power. God is a Spirit being (John 4:24) and does not have a physical body, but bodily metaphors are effective in communicating some of God's attributes and actions. God is against the proud . . . the mighty, and the rich, who imagine themselves self-sufficient. By contrast, He champions the cause of them of low degree and the hungry, for they acknowledge their need for Him.

1:54-55 In sending Jesus to be born to Mary, God mercifully helped Israel, in keeping with promises He had made centuries earlier to Abraham and his descendants (see Gen. 12:1-3; 22:15-18).

1:56-57 Mary visited Elisabeth shortly after hearing she was "in the sixth month" of her pregnancy (v v. 36,39-40) and abode with her about three months. Given their spiritual bond and the great roles their sons would play in God's plan, it seems likely that Mary stayed to help with John's birth.

1:58 Since Elisabeth remained secluded for the early months of her pregnancy (see note at v v. 24-25), it is possible that many of her neighbors and relatives first learned of God's great mercy toward her at or near the time of John's birth. The birth of a son was seen as favor from God.

1:59-63 In the OT, a child's name was more often given at birth. Perhaps Zacharias's inability to speak at John's birth caused the delay. Because Luke was writing for a Gentile audience that was unfamiliar with Jewish rites, he explained that Mosaic law (Lev. 12:3) required parents to circumcise a male child (i.e., cut off the foreskin of his sex organ) on the eighth day. It was customary to name a boy baby after his father or his grandfather. Elisabeth had apparently already learned from Zacharias in writing that God wished for them to name the baby John. That neighbors and relatives motioned to Zacharias (rather than spoke) may imply that he was temporarily deaf as well as mute (v v. 20,22). A writing table was a small wooden board covered with wax. A wooden stylus was used to etch words into the wax.

Jesus' Birth and Early Childhood

1:65-66 The overall outcome of the preceding episode is that it was clear that the hand of the Lord was with the newborn John in a remarkable way and that everyone living in the region continued to ponder how his life would turn out.

1:67 On the meaning of filled with the Holy Ghost, see Eph. 5:18-21. It is ironic that Zacharias, being a priest (v. 5) and having prophesied, set the stage for the ministry of his son, John the Baptist. Though John hailed from a priestly family, he was called to serve as a prophet of the Highest (v. 76).

1:68-79 Zacharias's prophecy is traditionally called the "Benedictus," from the first word (Blessed) of verse 68 in the Latin Vulgate Bible.

1:68-70 The births of John the Baptist, the forerunner (v. 17; Isa. 40:1-5; Mal. 4:5-6), and Jesus, the Messiah, marked the initiation of the final stages of God's plan of salvation for His people. Jesus would redeem His people through the cross. An animal's horn symbolized strength or power (Deut. 33:17). Jesus was from the house of . . . David (see v. 27; 3:30).

1:71-75 The ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus fulfilled God's covenant with David (v. 69; 2 Sam. 7:12-16) and the oath which He sware to . . . Abraham (see Gen. 12:1-3). As a result, in the Messiah's future reign, Israel would have full salvation.

1:76 John was to be the prophet of the Highest who would go before Jesus, "the Son of the Highest" (v. 32) to prepare his ways (see Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1).

1:78-79 The dayspring is the Messiah (Mal. 4:2). The Lord's visitation began with John's birth. The next part would be Jesus' birth (Luke 2:1-20). Those in darkness and in the shadow of death are mentioned in Isa. 9:1-2, which is cited in Matt. 4:16. The way of peace with God is through faith in Christ (Rom. 5:1).

1:80 This verse about John's upbringing is parallel to Luke 2:51-52, which is about Jesus' upbringing. Because Zacharias and Elisabeth were already quite old when John was born (see note at 1:6-7), they probably died while he was fairly young, which may explain why he lived in the deserts of Judaea, between Jerusalem and the Dead sea. The day of his public appearance is recounted in 3:1-3. Since ministry for a Levite (which John was) began at 30 years old (Num. 4:46-47), this is probably when he launched his ministry, as did Jesus (Luke 3:23).

2:1 Augustus (meaning "Exalted," a title approved by the Roman Senate in 27 b.c.) was the Roman Caesar from 31 b.c. to a.d. 14. This decree was a census for the purposes of taxation and military service.

2:2 It is thought that Cyrenius served two terms as Roman governor of Syria: from 6–4 b.c., and then a.d. 6–9. Jesus was born during the period of the first registration. There was also a census registration in Cyrenius's second term (Acts 5:37).

2:3-4 His own city refers not to where Joseph presently lived (Nazareth in Galilee), but to the town of his ancestral roots (Bethlehem in Judaea), which was called the city of David because King David grew up there (1 Sam. 16:1). Joseph was descended from David (1:27). The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem would have taken at least three days and covered roughly 90 miles.

2:5 Mary at this time was still only espoused to Joseph because they had not yet consummated their marriage via intercourse (cp. 1:27). Nevertheless, she was pregnant (see note at 1:31-33).

2:7 In that day, a newborn was wrapped snuggly in cloth to keep its arms and legs straight. The manger indicates that the family was forced to stay in a stable, or perhaps a cave that served as a stable.

2:8 The sheep used for temple sacrifices in Jerusalem were kept in fields outside Bethlehem. The work of shepherds was more important at night because of the threats from thieves and predators.

2:9-10 Though not named in the present passage, the angel of the Lord was Gabriel (1:11-20). The glory of the Lord was a bright light (in the midst of the darkness of night), indicating God's glorious presence. It is only natural to be terrified at the sight of an angel (see note at 1:11-12), not to mention a sudden, overwhelming light from the sky. The angel spoke to calm the shepherds and refocus their attention on the proclamation of the gospel (good tidings). All people could refer to Israel, but given Luke's emphasis on the gospel spreading to the Gentiles, it probably means "all nations."

2:11-12 Saviour (Gk soter) means "deliverer, redeemer." Christ (Gk christos, equivalent to the Hb meshiach "Messiah") means "anointed one," especially focusing on being anointed as king. Lord (Gk kurios) was used of secular rulers, but it is also the standard translation of the primary name of God in Hebrew, Yahweh (Jehovah). The shepherds would have been shocked to hear that a divine messianic ruler had been born, but to be told He was lying in a manger and born to a man and woman of humble means would have seemed preposterous.

2:13-14 The hymn sung by the choir of angels is well-known today as the "Gloria in Excelsis Deo," from the first words of verse 14 in the Latin Vulgate. To give Glory to God does not give Him something He otherwise lacks. Rather, it is a confession of the wondrous glory He forever possesses. The peace to be found on earth was not the Pax Romana (the "universal peace" of the Roman Empire), but peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1; see note at Luke 1:78-79).

2:19 It is possible that Luke gained much of his knowledge about what happened in chapters 1 and 2 from talking to Mary, recalling the things she had pondered (Gk suntereo; "to treasure, keep in mind") in her heart.

2:21 On eight days and circumcising, see note at 1:59-63. On the name Jesus, see note at 1:31-33.

2:22-24 The purification lasted another 33 days after the child's circumcision (Lev. 12:2-8). Every firstborn male in Israel was presented to the Lord (Exod. 13:2,12). On the sacrifice of turtledoves or pigeons, see Lev. 12:8 and note there.

2:25-26 Like Zacharias and Elisabeth (see note at 1:6-7), Simeon was a just person. Israel's consolation spoke of the comfort and hope the people had in regard to God's plan for His people, but, more specifically, it referred to the Messiah's role in that plan. In the OT, the Holy Ghost came on a few selected people (Num. 24:2; 1 Sam. 10:10; 16:13). After the day of Pentecost, the Spirit has indwelt all believers (John 14:16-17; 1 Cor. 3:16). The Spirit filled Zacharias so he could prophesy about John (Luke 1:67-79). Here, the Spirit assured Simeon that he would live long enough to see the Christ, so that he would be in a position to do the same in regard to Jesus (2:29-32).

2:27 The Holy Spirit guided Simeon to the right place (the temple) at the right time (when the child Jesus was brought to do for him after the custom of the law). See notes at verses 21 and 22-24.

2:29-32 Simeon's words here are traditionally called the "Nunc Dimittis," from the first two words in the Latin Vulgate. God had kept His promise that Simeon would live to see Christ (i.e., thy salvation), so he could now die. The worldwide scope of the gospel is Luke's ongoing theme in both of his writings (his Gospel and the book of Acts).

2:34-35 Jesus was a spiritual divider of society. In considering the gospel about Christ, many in Israel "fell" eternally due to unbelief and others rose by faith to eternal life. Mary would suffer great pain in watching Jesus be rejected and executed. How people respond to Jesus is the difference between pardon and condemnation, eternity in heaven or hell.

2:36-38 The immediate shift to Anna, a prophetess, fits with Luke's emphasis on women. The other prophetesses mentioned in the NT are Philip's daughters (Acts 21:8-9). If Anna had been married for seven years and a widow for 84 years, she was well over 100 years old. Anna's ministry included devotion to prayer. Redemption in Jerusalem means the redemption of all the people of Israel.

2:39 Luke did not include several of the incidents that appear in the Gospel of Matthew, including the visit of the magi and the trip to Egypt (Matt. 2:1-23).

2:40 This description of Jesus as a young boy is similar to that of John the Baptist in Luke 1:80. The additional elements emphasized that Jesus was filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him (see the similar description of Stephen in Acts 6:8,10).

2:41-42 This is the only incident Scripture reports about Jesus' life between the time He was a small child and His baptism by John (3:21-22). Adult Jewish males and their families were expected to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the annual feasts of passover, Pentecost, and tabernacles. The Bar Mitzvah (Hb "son of the commandment") ceremony at age 13 marked the time when a Jewish male was recognized as a man. Since Jesus was now twelve years old, this was His last Passover before adulthood.

2:44 Joseph and Mary went a day's journey before worrying about Jesus because they assumed He was with the traveling party. It was completely out of character (see v. 51) for Him not to obey them in every respect.

2:46-47 Three days included one day traveling from Jerusalem, one coming back, and the third searching for Jesus in the city. The doctors were teachers who were scholars of the Mosaic law. It was highly unusual for a boy to be welcomed by a group of rabbis, much less amaze them with brilliant scriptural understanding.

2:48-50 Joseph and Mary did not understand that Jesus was referring to His heavenly Father, whom He also had to obey even when such obedience entailed giving His parents' concerns less priority.

2:52 During the years in which Jesus lived in obedience to Joseph and Mary, He continually increased in wisdom (intellect and practical holiness), stature (growing to adult size), favor with God (spiritual closeness to the Father), and favor with man (social respect). Jesus' wisdom was already noteworthy as a young boy (see note at v. 40), and the rabbis marveled at His understanding at age 12. His advancement would have been astounding by the time He began His ministry.

3:1 The fifteenth year of . . . Tiberius Caesar could be as early as a.d. 26 or as late as 29 because Tiberius had been delegated some of the authority of his stepfather, Augustus (see note at 2:1), several years before he died. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, Samaria, and Idumea (south of Judaea, west of the Dead sea), a.d. 26–36. He was responsible for regional administration and tax collection. At the death of Herod the Great (4 b.c.), his son, Herod Antipas, became tetrarch (a secondary prince) of Galilee and Perea (east of the Jordan river), while another son, Herod Philip, ruled Ituraea and Trachonitis (east and northeast of the sea of Galilee), a.d. 4–34. Nothing else is known about Lysanius the tetrarch of Abilene (the area near Damascus).

3:2-3 Technically, the high priesthood of Annas ended by a.d. 18. However, he continued to use the title and exercise considerable influence while his son-in-law Caiaphas was high priest during most of the period until 37. John the Baptist lived in the wilderness of Judaea for a number of years before this (see note at 1:80), then moved a few miles northeast to the vicinity of the Jordan river, probably not far north of the Dead sea. John preached repentance (a change of mind and heart, in this case toward Jesus and one's personal sins) for the remission of sins, with water baptism being the outer sign of inner cleansing.

3:4-6 The quotation from Isa. 40:3-5 shows that John was the forerunner of the Messiah (see note at Isa. 40:3-4; cp. Mal. 3:1; 4:5). All flesh indicates that both Gentiles and Jews would see God's salvation.

3:7 Some who flocked to hear John preach (see note at v v. 2-3) and be baptized (Gk baptizo; "to wash, dip") were not sincere. John called them poisonous snakes and warned them to change their attitudes and flee the coming wrath (judgment based on God's righteous anger). Jesus rescues believers from wrath (1 Thess. 1:10).

3:8-9 The fruits (behavioral impact) of repentance (see note at v v. 10-14), or the lack of it, proves whether or not a person has truly repented. At the time of judgment (when the axe falls), the claim of Jewish lineage will mean nothing unless a person's faith is genuine, like Abraham's (see Gen. 15:6; Gal. 3:6-7).

3:10-14 The question the people asked John is the same as the one addressed to Peter on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:37). From the general population, John called for compassion; from publicans (tax collectors, who were allowed to collect extra to cover "expenses"), he called for fairness; from soldiers, he warned against abuse of power and called for contentment.

3:15-17 John insisted that there was no comparison between him baptizing with water and the Messiah baptizing with the Holy Ghost (see Acts 1:5; 2:4; 1 Cor. 12:13) and fire of judgment. Winnowing involved throwing grain in the air with a fan, so the wind caught the chaff and blew it away. Chaff (symbolizing unbelievers) is the worthless husk that covers wheat (standing for believers). The unquenchable fire refers, ultimately, to the eternal lake of fire (Rev. 20:10,14-15).

3:18 As well as preaching related to repentance (v. 3), John also preached good news (Gk euangelizo; "to preach the gospel").

3:19 On Herod Antipas, see note at verse 1. Antipas divorced his wife, the daughter of King Aretas IV of Arabia, so he could marry the wife of his brother Philip (Matt. 14:3; see note at Luke 3:1). Such a marriage was forbidden by Mosaic law (Lev. 18:16; 20:21).

3:20 The events here are not given in chronological sequence, since John could not have baptized Jesus (see note at v v. 21-22) while he was in prison. Luke wrapped up his discussion of John's ministry before moving on to the beginning of Jesus' ministry. John was arrested at some point after Jesus began His public ministry (John 3:22-24). Josephus, the Jewish historian, stated John was held in the Machaerus prison, east of the Dead sea.

3:21-22 Jesus was not baptized for the forgiveness of sins, as were all the other people whom John baptized. Rather, Jesus was baptized to identify Himself and His ministry with the ministry and message of His forerunner (see notes at v v. 4-6 and v v. 15-17). Prayer, especially Jesus' praying, is a strong emphasis of Luke's Gospel. This is the first of three times in the Gospels when a voice from heaven spoke about Jesus. The other two were at the transfiguration (see note at 9:34-35) and in the temple during Passion Week (John 12:28). This is a relatively rare scriptural passage in which all three persons of the Godhead are mentioned: (1) the Father, who said Thou art my beloved Son (see Ps 2:7), in thee I am well pleased (see Isa. 42:1); (2) Jesus the Son, who was being baptized; and (3) the Holy Ghost, who appeared as a dove.

3:23-38 The family tree of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke is considerably different from the one in Matt. 1:1-17. Luke's genealogy traced Jesus' lineage all the way back to Adam, emphasizing Jesus' relation to all humankind, while Matthew's version started with Abraham and moved forward to Jesus, emphasizing Jesus' relation to Israel (i.e., that He was the Son of Abraham, fulfiller of the Abrahamic promises, and the messianic Son of David). In Luke, the family tree moved through Nathan, a younger son of David (Luke 3:30), while in Matthew it went through Solomon (Matt. 1:6-7), inheritor of Israel's throne after David. Since Luke 1–2 narrates events from Mary's point of view, Luke 3:23-38 follows Jesus' physical line through Mary since verse 23 says Jesus was only "supposed" to be the son of Joseph. By contrast, Matt. 1:1-17, in the midst of a section from Joseph's point of view (Matt. 1–2), tracked Jesus' legal lineage. This demonstrated His right to the throne of David through His adoptive father, Joseph.

3:23 Jesus began His ministry at about thirty years of age—the age when a Levite began priestly service (Num. 4:46-47; see note at Luke 1:80). Supposed to be the son of Joseph affirms the prophecy of the virgin birth of Jesus (see notes at 1:31-33; 1:34-35; and 4:22).

3:38 Adam is called son of God in this genealogy because he was directly created by God (see Gen. 2:7).

4:1-2 When Jesus returned from being baptized by John (see note at 3:21-22), He was led by the Spirit to His encounter with the devil in the wilderness. The role of the Holy Spirit here is significant for at least three reasons: (1) the Spirit's role in driving Jesus to the wilderness shows Jesus' face-off with the devil was ordained by God; (2) the Spirit's activity is a repeated emphasis in Luke's Gospel; (3) the Spirit's involvement in Jesus' life highlights Jesus' genuine humanity. The filling (Eph. 5:18) and leading of the Spirit (Gal. 5:18) are key aspects of empowerment for the Christian life. The wilderness is where Israel failed its test of faith before God (Num. 14). Jesus would pass the wilderness test that Israel could not. Also, Jesus was being tested as "the last Adam" (1 Cor. 15:45), the One who would succeed where the first Adam failed.

4:3-4 Satan tested Jesus at the point of His physical weakness—hunger (v. 2). The phrase If thou be the Son of God expresses no doubt that Jesus is God, and is best understood as, "Since you are the Son of God." The devil tried to bait Jesus into satisfying His extreme hunger by exercising His divine powers. Jesus' duty, however, was to suffer and patiently endure hardship as a perfectly obedient human who waited for God's deliverance and empowerment. Jesus answered by citing the written Word of God (Deut. 8:3). The context of this citation deals with Israel's needs being met in the wilderness for 40 years, physically through the manna and spiritually by the presence and Word of God.

4:5-12 The order of the second and third tests is reversed in Luke 4 from Matt. 4. The wider structure of the Gospel of Luke depicted Jesus moving toward Jerusalem, with the final test in Luke taking place on the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem.

4:5-8 As Messiah, Jesus will rule over all the kingdoms of the world at the end of the age (see Rev. 11:15). The devil tried to entice Jesus with a shortcut to that kind of world-wide authority. Even though Satan is called "the prince of this world" (John 12:31), his claim that the world is delivered unto him and that he can give it to anyone he wants is untrue. The devil is a usurper of God's realm. It is no surprise that he did not tell the truth here, for he is "a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44). Jesus quoted Deut. 6:13 to make clear that only God is worthy of worship, a point that echoes the first of the Ten Commandments (Exod. 20:3).

4:9-12 After two failed tests (v v. 3-8), the devil attempted to catch Jesus off balance by quoting Scripture. In challenging Jesus to cast Himself from a pinnacle of the temple (from which the fall may have been over 100 feet), the devil referred to Ps. 91:11-12, claiming that angels would rush to the rescue if Jesus jumped. Jesus did not deny the truth of the Scripture the devil quoted, just the application he gave it. In clear contrast, He cited Deut. 6:16, which recalls the tragedy of Israel's complaining and testing God at Meribah and Massah (Exod. 17:1-7).

4:13 Only three tests are recorded in Matt. 4 and Luke 4, but the wording all the temptation may imply that there were more. The devil was thwarted this time, but he departed from Jesus only to wait for the right season (Gk kairos; "time"—as an occasion or opportunity) to try again.

4:14-15 The same power of the Holy Spirit (see note at v v. 1-2) by which Jesus countered every test thrown at Him by the devil, was present in His teaching in the synagogues throughout Galilee, bringing initial acceptance by virtually all.

4:16-17 Jesus lived in Nazareth in Galilee from the time He was a small boy (2:39,51) until He began His public ministry. The reading from the Mosaic law was usually prescribed, while the person chosen to read from the books of the Prophets had the latitude to choose any passage he wished. When Jesus was given the Isaiah scroll, He unrolled it and began reading from Isa. 61:1.

4:18 Jesus' ministry throughout Galilee demonstrated that the Spirit of the Lord was on Him (v. 14). As Messiah, He was anointed as the rightful king of Israel. But here the anointing was as a prophet (to preach the gospel). Even though the message Jesus preached was first to those who were captivated by sin, the mention of the poor, the captives, the blind, and the bruised (or "oppressed") is in keeping with Luke's emphasis on the poor and downtrodden.

4:19-21 Jesus stopped reading from Isa. 61 in the middle of verse 2 and sat down (the normal posture for reading Scripture was standing; teaching was done while sitting). He ended the reading precisely at the phrase the acceptable year of the Lord because this is exactly what His preaching proclaimed: the season of God's grace had come in the Messiah's ministry. The very next phrase in Isa. 61:2, which Jesus did not read, is "and the day of vengeance of our God." This refers to the second coming of Christ and His judgment of the world (Rev. 19:11-21). Thus Jesus read in the synagogue the part of Isa. 61:1-2 that was being fulfilled at that time, but held off on reading the portion that would not be fulfilled until the time of judgment.

4:22 The immediate response to Jesus' message in the synagogue was mostly positive, as it had been elsewhere in Galilee (see note at v v. 14-15). But knowing Isa. 61 was a messianic prophecy, it greatly troubled the people that the young preacher whom they thought of merely as Joseph's son (see note at 3:23-28) was claiming to be the long-awaited Messiah.

4:23-24 The people in Jesus' hometown of Nazareth, motivated by curiosity rather than genuine spiritual interest, expected to see Him heal, as they had heard about Him doing in nearby Capernaum. Instead of satisfying them, Jesus illustrated a principle that often proved true in OT times: A prophet (see 4:18; Isa. 61:1) is not accepted in his hometown.

4:25-27 Jesus' first example of a prophet being rejected by his own people was Elijah, who was so unpopular in Israel during the three years and six months of a drought that he had to seek refuge in the home of a widow in the Gentile town of Sarepta (Zarephath) in Phoenicia (1 Kings 17:1-24). The second example was the prophet Elisha, who skipped over all the lepers of Israel in his time and only healed Naaman the Syrian, a Gentile general (2 Kings 7:1-19).

4:28-30 The crowd in the synagogue was enraged because Jesus' examples implied God's acceptance of Gentiles and His rejection of Israel. Jesus foiled their attempt at mob violence by walking right through the crowd, an odd circumstance that may imply a miracle. Alternatively, it may only indicate that Jesus' presence was so forceful that the people, though angry, willingly stepped aside and let Him through.

4:32 Luke does not elaborate on the exact nature of the power that Jesus demonstrated through His teaching. Most likely the authority derived from the fact that Jesus' message was directly from God, not merely from the religious authorities of earlier generations whom Jewish teachers typically cited.

4:33-36 This is an example of the far-reaching authority Jesus displayed in Capernaum. He cast out an unclean demonic spirit that had possessed a man in the synagogue. Jesus did this simply by rebuking the demon. The crowds wondered about Jesus, His message, and His power over the demonic realm, but the demon knew exactly who Jesus was—the Holy One of God—a title that Simon Peter also used of Jesus (John 6:69).

4:38-40 Jesus' authority also extended to physical illness. As He had done with the demon, Jesus rebuked the fever. Word of Jesus' authority over sickness spread through Capernaum. He laid his hands on many people with various diseases, healing every one of them.

4:41 As with the demon in the man in the synagogue (v v. 33-36), the demons correctly identified Jesus. Jesus rebuked the demons for revealing that He was the Christ because they were attempting to assert control over Him by revealing His identity before the appropriate time.

4:42-44 This is the first of more than 30 times that the kingdom of God is mentioned in Luke's Gospel. A full-blown concept of the kingdom includes: (1) the King (ruler), (2) the rule itself (authority to rule), (3) the realm being ruled (this world), and (4) those ruled (individuals who believe the gospel). The kingdom of God is already present in at least some senses (Matt. 12:28) but also still future (Matt. 6:10).

5:1-3 Gennesaret was an alternate name for the sea of Galilee, which is also called the sea of Tiberias (John 6:1; 21:1). The boat Jesus chose belonged to Simon Peter, whose mother-in-law He had recently healed (Luke 4:38-39). Jesus sat down in the boat; this was the normal posture for a teacher (see note at 4:19-21).

5:4-7 In spite of the fact that his night labors had been fruitless, at Jesus' command Peter responded in faith. His faith was rewarded with a catch so big that their nets tore and the boats almost sank.

5:8-11 Peter's reaction to Jesus' divine power and holiness was essentially the same as that of Job (Job 42:6) and Isaiah (Isa. 6:5). James and John, along with Simon Peter, formed Jesus' inner circle (9:28; Matt. 26:37). Jesus used the huge catch of fish to illustrate the kind of evangelistic impact Simon would have (see Acts 2:41; 4:4). Peter and the other fishermen forsook all and followed Jesus. This thoroughgoing commitment is the essence of true discipleship (14:26).

5:12-14 Jesus responded to the faith of a leper and immediately healed him. However, He did not want word about the miracle to spread. He ordered the man to act according to the law of Moses (Lev. 14:1-32) for cleansing and let the visual proof of his healing take the place of verbal testimony before a Jewish priest.

5:15-16 During Jesus' early ministry, publicly, large crowds heard Him preach and were healed; privately, He often sought out remote places where He could pray without interruption.

5:17-20 The Pharisees were the legalistic Jewish religious party. The doctors (teachers) of the law of Moses were also known as "the scribes." They functioned essentially as lawyers who worked closely with the Pharisees. These leaders had heard about Jesus' preaching and power to heal, and they decided that He needed to be observed carefully. The persistence of the paralyzed man's friends to get him into the presence of Jesus reflects strong faith. But Jesus focused on the man's greatest need—forgiveness of sins through faith in God's Son.

5:21-25 The scribes and Pharisees understood that Jesus was acting as if He were God when He claimed to forgive the sins of the paralyzed man. Jesus perceived their thoughts because He knew what is in man (John 2:25). It was much easier to just say thy sins be forgiven since there might be no visible proof. To demonstrate that He had power to do the invisible miracle of forgiving sins, Jesus performed the visible miracle of healing the paralytic.

5:26 The Pharisees and scribes together with everyone else in the crowd were amazed at Jesus' miracle. There was simply no denying the wonder of what Jesus had done, but submitting to Jesus and the far-reaching implications of His claims was another thing altogether.

5:27-28 A publican would sit in a toll booth (the receipt) and collect customs or duties, in this case likely on the international highway that ran through Galilee. Levi is another name for Matthew (Matt. 9:9; 10:3). Leaving all, he demonstrated the discipleship commitment that Simon, James, and John had shown earlier (see note at Luke 5:8-11).

5:29-30 Levi's becoming a disciple was very open. He hosted a great feast in honor of Jesus, to which he invited his fellow publicans. The Pharisees and scribes (see note at v v. 17-20) were incensed because tax collectors were considered ritually unclean. Publicans and sinners (others who were ritually unclean) were socially off-limits to devout Jews. Although Levi was a fellow Jew, he was despised because he worked for the Roman government.

5:31-32 Jesus referred to the Pharisees and their allies as the whole and righteous. In contrast, He labeled tax collectors and their associates as the sick and sinners. He did not mean that the Pharisees were actually righteous, but only that they saw themselves that way. By contrast, those whom the Pharisees viewed as sinners realized they were spiritually sick and desperately needed a spiritual physician who could guide them to repentance (see note at 3:2-3). Thus Jesus had higher regard for the sick and sinners.

5:33 The Pharisees were offended at the behavior of Jesus' disciples as compared to their own disciples and those of John the Baptist. Jesus was not opposed to fasting (Matt. 4:2; 6:16-18), but He also allowed His disciples to attend banquets, like that given by Levi (see note at Luke 5:29-30). This was in stark contrast to the Pharisees' rigid schedule of fasting. They fasted twice weekly (18:12), on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29), four times a year to remember the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians (Zech. 8:19), plus any other time it was deemed appropriate.

5:34-35 Jesus applied the issue of fasting to a wedding, as if He were the groom. It was not appropriate to fast during the joy of a wedding or before the divine groom was taken away (i.e., before the cross, resurrection, and ascension).

5:36 On the heels of the controversy about fasting, Jesus illustrated the point that His message was radical (new) and could not serve as a patch for the existing form of Judaism (old).

5:37-39 Jesus' second parable initially made the same point as the first, but then proceeded further. New (not fully fermented) wine cannot be put into old wineskins because they will burst and ruin them. New wine (the message of Jesus) must be put into fresh wineskins (the church of Jesus Christ; see Matt. 16:18). But there was a natural reason why many of Jesus' hearers continued to cling to Judaism: old (properly fermented and aged) wine (the established traditions of Judaism) tastes better (more familiar and comfortable).

6:1-2 The controversy with the Pharisees shifts to the issue of keeping the sabbath day. Deuteronomy 23:25 permitted going through a neighbor's field picking grain, as long as a person did not use a sickle. The issue here was the permissibility of such behavior on the sabbath.

6:3-5 Jesus' argument in answering the Pharisees was that there are exceptions even to important religious standards. He cited the example of David eating the shewbread (the "bread of the Presence" of God, kept in the holy place of the temple; 2 Chron. 2:4), which only priests were to eat. David once used this consecrated bread to feed himself and them that were with him (1 Sam. 21:1-6) in a time of need. Son of man is a messianic title (see Dan. 7:13) that Jesus often used of Himself (Luke 5:24; 19:10). As Messiah, Jesus was the same Lord who instituted the sabbath regulations. Thus He had full authority to make an exception to the observance of this special day.

6:6-7 The second sabbath controversy occurred in a synagogue while Jesus was teaching and a man affected by paralysis (cp. 5:17-25) was present. The scribes and Pharisees began watching His every move. They saw this as an opportunity to have Jesus charged and arrested.

6:8-10 On he knew their thoughts, see note at 5:21-25. When Jesus had the man with the withered hand get up and stand near Him, He thrust the man's situation into the spotlight and confronted the Pharisees and scribes head-on. The answer to Jesus' rhetorical question was obvious. Everyone should agree that it was lawful to do good or save life on the sabbath. Because healing was doing good, it would be wrong not to heal this man, even on the sabbath. By stretching out his hand in obedience to Jesus' command, the man's hand was restored.

6:11 The Pharisees and scribes were furious that Jesus had outwitted them again. Now they wanted to destroy Him (Matt. 12:14; Mark 3:6).

6:12-13 This is another example of Luke's emphasis on prayer. It is the only time it is said that Jesus continued all night in prayer. This indicates the importance of the choice of the twelve . . . apostles from the wider group of disciples. While disciple (Gk mathetes) means "learner, pupil, follower," the meaning of apostle (Gk apostolos) is literally "sent one," with the idea of being sent with a commission. It is not stated why He chose 12, though the fact that Israel had 12 tribes was likely the reason.

6:14-16 Other lists of the apostles appear in Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; and Acts 1:13. Although certain details vary, Simon is always listed first and Judas the traitor is listed last. Iscariot may be derived from Judas's hometown of Kerioth or an Aramaic word meaning "assassin." Bartholomew is probably another name for Nathanael (John 1:45). Matthew is an alternate name for Levi (5:27,29). Judas the brother of James seems to be the same as Thaddaeus (Matt. 10:3).

6:17-49 This section of Luke's Gospel is often referred to as the Sermon on the Plain. It has many similarities to the Sermon on the Mount in Matt. 5–7, but it is much shorter. The two best explanations for the similarities and differences are that (1) after becoming acquainted with the material found in Matthew, Luke selected and shaped the content to fit his purposes in writing (see notes at Luke 1:1; 1:2; 1:3; and 1:4 in regard to Luke's editorial approach), or (2) since Jesus undoubtedly preached the same material in various locations, it is possible that the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain were presented on different occasions.

6:17-19 If this is the same event as the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7), the plain would be a plateau on the side of a mountain where Jesus went up to pray in 6:12. In Matthew, the message is directed only to the disciples of Jesus (Matt. 5:1), while Luke added a crowd from Jewish regions (where He would soon minister) and a crowd from Gentile regions. The crowd did not gather just to hear Jesus preach. Many came to be healed of physical diseases or spiritual oppression by unclean spirits (demons). Since virtue (Gk dunamis, "power") was coming out of him, all who touched Jesus were healed.

6:20-26 Verses 24-26 in this section are the exact counterpart to verses 20-23 (blessed vs. woe; poor vs. rich; hunger vs. full; when men shall hate you vs. when all men shall speak well of you). Jesus noted that rejection was what those in earlier generations did unto the prophets, while speaking well was the way they treated the false prophets. The implication is that Jesus' growing rejection by the religious leaders is proof that He was a true prophet.

6:27-49 The remainder of the Sermon on the Plain in this section deals with the attitudes and actions of those who are followers of Jesus.

6:27-30 Christ's disciples are to be characterized by actions of love and generosity.

6:31 This verse is usually referred to as the Golden Rule. This is apparently a restatement of the second commandment: "love thy neighbour as thyself" (Lev. 19:18).

6:35-36 The reward for obeying Jesus' love command will be great, though much of it will not be in this life. But your selfless love will reflect that you are children of God. He is gracious and merciful to all people, and disciples of Jesus are to follow His example.

6:37 The problems here are hypocritical judgment, short-sighted condemnation, and an unforgiving spirit. These warnings do not mean that Jesus' followers should not practice careful discernment (judgment; see Matt. 7:1-5 and notes there).

6:38 "Measure" involves weighing and judging. Be fair to others, because the same measure you use will return to you. If you are generous, generosity will be returned to you in full measure. If you are stingy and uncharitable, such will be the standards by which you are judged.

6:39-40 This parable is a warning about following the wrong person. Spiritually blind leaders mislead disciples.

6:41-42 A person is a hypocrite (Gk hupokrites; "one who pretends to be someone else") if he harshly criticizes a small weakness (a mote) in another person's life while overlooking a large fault (a beam) in his own. We are in no position to criticize another person until we have dealt with our own serious shortcomings.

6:46-49 A disciple's behavior must be consistent with his stated commitment. The difference between a life that can withstand spiritual storms and one that cannot depends not just on whether one comes to Christ and hears His words, but also whether one acts on His teachings.

7:1 Capernaum was Jesus' headquarters for His ministry in Galilee (4:14–9:50).

7:2-3 A centurion was a commander of 100 men in the Roman army. This centurion was apparently a compassionate man, deeply concerned about the illness of his servant. He reached out to Jesus through some local Jewish elders (either recognized leaders in the community or respected older men). In the parallel passage in Matt. 8:5-10, the centurion approached Jesus directly.

7:4-8 The Jewish elders were willing to intervene with Jesus because they considered the centurion a worthy man. The centurion did not consider himself worthy of being in Jesus' presence, but he had faith that Jesus could heal his servant, even at a distance. He understood the spiritual authority Jesus commanded because he understood military authority.

7:11-12 Nain was about six miles south of Nazareth, where Jesus grew up. A widow who was childless would have no means of financial support.

7:13-15 Jesus acted out of compassion for the widow in bringing her son back from the dead. By custom Jewish funerals included an open coffin, but anyone who touched the corpse became ceremonially unclean (Num. 19:11). This is the first of several times that Jesus raised a person from the dead (Luke 8:40-56; John 11:38-44).

7:16-17 The great prophet probably refers to Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:18-37), who both raised people from the dead. God hath visited his people does not necessarily mean that the people at this early date realized that God had become a man in the person of Jesus (John 1:14). It can mean simply that the power of God had been experienced among His people. The mention of Judaea looks ahead to Jesus' journey to Jerusalem (9:51–19:44).

7:18-20 John the Baptist had to be told all these things because he was in prison (see note at 3:20). John's question grew out of confusion more than doubt. On the one hand, Jesus certainly did the works of the Messiah. On the other hand, He had not acted to overturn Roman rule or free righteous prisoners, as the Jews expected the Messiah to do.

7:21-23 Verse 21 is a summary of the miracles Jesus was doing in His ministry, serving as a lead-in to His response to the question from John the Baptist's disciples. The things Jesus was doing went beyond the prophecy of the Messiah in Isa. 61:1-2 (e.g., the dead are raised). Blessed looks back to 6:22.

7:24-28 The crowds were apparently asking Jesus why John the Baptist's messengers had come to Him. So Jesus explained the significance of John and his ministry. He was not one who fit in with current thought or comfortable surroundings, and he had nothing to do with royalty and its excesses. Instead, he was a prophet and, beyond that, the forerunner for the Messiah (see Mal. 3:1). No mere human to that point was greater. However, even the least Christian of the new covenant era, beginning with the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), would have greater spiritual resources than John due to the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

7:29-30 All of those who had repented and been baptized (see note at 3:2-3) by John acknowledged God's way of righteousness, which was John's message as forerunner to Jesus. But the Jewish leaders, who would not repent and humble themselves, rejected the counsel of God regarding salvation.

7:31-34 Jesus declared that it was impossible to please the people of His generation. They would not respond to an inducement to be happy or to be sad. John the Baptist led a very strict lifestyle, but he was accused of having a demon. By contrast, Jesus was accused of being too lenient.

7:35 The teachings of John the Baptist and Jesus will be shown correct by all those who live (and live well) by following their teachings.

7:36-38 It is not clear whether the Pharisee who invited Jesus into his home wanted to learn from Him, as did Nicodemus (John 3:1-2), or was seeking to trap Him. The unnamed woman was probably a prostitute who heard Jesus preach and repented. In those days they ate resting on their side, with their feet facing away from the table. Though she said nothing, her tears and her willingness to give the expensive ointment to anoint Jesus' feet were an eloquent testimony of her gratitude to Jesus.

7:39 The Pharisee could not conceive that a true prophet would associate with this kind of woman—a known sinner. Being a Pharisee required him to be separated from sin and sinners like her.

7:40-43 Jesus showed that He was a true prophet because He knew what Simon, the Pharisee, was thinking. The point of Jesus' story was simple: a person who is forgiven most appreciates it more.

7:44-47 Jesus drew a contrast between the Pharisee's lack of hospitality and the woman's profuse service. Jesus did not mean that the Pharisee had little sin to be forgiven, but that he did not think of himself as a sinner while the woman was profoundly aware of her sinfulness.

7:48-50 Based on her actions, which reflected true repentance of sins, Jesus forgave the woman who anointed His feet. He made it clear that her faith had saved her (see Eph. 2:8-9). Once again, His authority to forgive sins was questioned (see note at 5:21-25).

8:1-3 Jesus was accompanied by the twelve (see note at 6:14-16) and several well-to-do women who, out of gratitude for being healed by Jesus, financially supported Him and the apostles. Mary from the town of Magdala, who became a well-known follower (Matt. 27:61), is introduced here. Joanna, who is also mentioned in 24:10, was married to a man who held a responsible position under Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee (see note at 3:1). Nothing else is known about Susanna.

8:5-8 From this point forward, Jesus used the parable approach much more, the purpose of which is explained in verses 9-10. In an agricultural society, everyone would have understood sowing. At least one way side (path) ran through most fields, and much of the terrain in Israel was rocky under a thin layer of topsoil. Dropping seeds on such paths was futile. Many fields had thorn bushes along the perimeters. Seeds falling there had no chance to grow and survive until harvest time. Others, however, did fall on fertile soil and produced a crop. In those days, a hundredfold harvest would be miraculous. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear is a challenge to carefully consider the story and its hidden meaning and practical implications (Rev. 2:7).

8:10 Quoting from Isa. 6:9, Jesus explained that He used parables as a way to reveal the truths of the kingdom of God to believers but that the story by itself actually concealed the meaning from unbelievers.

8:12 The message did not penetrate their hearts because the devil stole the thoughts away. So they remained unsaved.

8:13 The message seemed to catch on at first, but they did not get firmly established in the faith, so they gave in to temptation.

8:14 The seed among thorns may be (1) those whose unbelief is revealed by their response to worldly temptations, or (2) believers who are not fruitful (1 Cor. 3:10-15).

8:15 The seed in the good ground represents fruitful believers (John 15:2) who receive God's word with an open heart and persevere in the faith.

8:16-18 How a person responds to God's revelation determines whether he will receive more light or lose what he has. In the end, God will bring everything to light.

8:19-21 Human relationships built upon mutual faith in Christ, spiritual openness to one another, and shared obedience to the word of God are more important than relationships with physical family members, especially if the family members are unbelievers.

8:22-25 When a boat trip across the sea of Galilee ran into a fierce windstorm, Jesus slept in the boat while His disciples faced the storm and feared they would die. When Jesus was awakened, He demonstrated full authority over wind and waves by calming the storm. He also chided His disciples for their lack of faith. Had they genuinely trusted Jesus, they would not have feared even the fiercest winds and waves.

8:26 The country of the Gadarenes was the predominantly Gentile region around the town of Gadara, on the southeastern tip of the sea of Galilee.

8:27 In the parallel account in Matt. 8:28, two demon-possessed men are mentioned. Apparently, Luke chose to focus on the one who did the talking. The tombs may refer to an outdoor burial ground, but since the man was naked, it is more likely this refers to caves, several of which have been found in that area.

8:28-31 The demon who spoke identified Jesus, just as the demons had in 4:34 and Acts 16:17. Torment probably refers to sending the demon to the abyss, a place where some of the demons are currently confined (Rev. 9:1-2,11). Demons enabled people whom they possessed to perform feats of great strength. It is not clear whether Jesus was asking the name of the man or of the demon, but the demon answered. A Legion of Roman soldiers was a force of 6,000. Thus, many demons possessed this man.

8:32-33 The presence of an herd of many swine indicates that the region of the Gadarenes was heavily Gentile because Jews considered pigs to be unclean animals (Lev. 11:7-8) and would never herd them. The cruel destructiveness of demons is seen in that, as soon as Jesus permitted them to enter the pigs, they caused them to drown in the lake (the sea of Galilee).

8:34-37 Sitting at the feet of Jesus is the position of a disciple (see 10:38-42). The people were afraid when the demon-possessed man returned to normal, for Jesus had exercised a power that revealed His supernatural identity.

8:38-39 Because He had been asked to leave, Jesus told the healed man to stay in that region and testify to what God had done for him.

8:40-42 Jesus returned to Galilee. He likely had met this Jairus before. He had spoken in most of the synagogues in Galilee, and Jairus was a ruler (Gk archon; probably the chief elder who conducted the services) in the local synagogue.

8:43-46 The account of the woman with a chronic condition interrupts the narrative to show that delay during a critical hour of the girl's illness could not keep Jesus from healing her. As for the woman, her bleeding was probably menstrual hemorrhaging, which had made her ceremonially unclean for all this time (Lev. 15:25-31). As a physician, Luke was especially sensitive to the fact that this woman had spent all her resources on physicians without success. No explanation is given for how Jesus knew that healing power (Gk dunamis) had gone out from Him.

8:47-48 The woman was healed immediately, but she was understandably fearful when Jesus singled her out. After hearing her explanation, Jesus stated that her faith in Him had brought about her healing.

8:49-50 During the delay caused by Jesus' interaction with the bleeding woman, the daughter of the synagogue leader died. The natural conclusion was that she was now beyond the help of Jesus. However, He stated that the same kind of faith that had brought about the healing of the bleeding woman would bring the dead girl back to life.

8:51-53 In this passage Peter, and James, and John, are set apart by Jesus as the inner circle of the apostles (9:28; Matt. 26:37). The sense of finality by the child's parents and, apparently, even the apostles was so profound that the people in the house laughed at Jesus when He seemingly denied that the girl was dead.

8:54-56 When Jesus commanded, Maid, arise, her spirit returned to her body. It is not known why Jesus insisted that her parents not tell about Him raising their daughter from the dead. The crowd outside knew that the girl had genuinely died. Now she was alive just after Jesus went in to see her. There could be no hiding the fact that Jesus raised her.

9:1-2 After the twelve had observed Jesus' ministry for several months, He delegated power and authority to them (see note at 6:12-13). Their other mission (Gk apostello; "to send out") was to preach the kingdom of God.

9:3-5 The apostles were to be dependent on whom they lodged with and were to move on if a family or town did not welcome them. Shake off the very dust from your feet was a gesture of judgment.

9:6 Preaching the gospel is paralleled here with "preach the kingdom of God" in v. 2. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the means of entry into the kingdom of God.

9:7-9 Herod Antipas (see note at 3:1) was at a loss (perplexed) to decide whether Jesus was John the Baptist raised from the dead. The parallel passages (Matt. 14:2; Mark 6:16) indicate he decided that Jesus was indeed the risen John. Others around Antipas, however, thought Jesus was the prophet Elijah (see Mal. 4:5). John himself had partially fulfilled this prophecy (Matt. 11:14). Still others believed that some other OT prophet had come back.

9:10-11 After the apostles returned, Jesus again took the lead over the ministry of preaching and healing. Bethsaida was a town on the northeastern coast of the sea of Galilee that had recently been rebuilt by Herod Philip (see note at 3:1). The attempt to find a private place outside Bethsaida where the apostles could rest and confer with Jesus was foiled by people following them.

9:12-17 Other than His resurrection from the dead, the feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle of Jesus that appears in all four Gospels (Matt. 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; John 6:5-14).

9:12-14 Jesus responded to the question by the twelve by challenging them to give the people something to eat. The apostles had already surveyed the crowd and found only five loaves of bread and two fishes to feed about 5,000 men (who, with women and children, could easily have totaled 15,000 or more). To better manage distribution, Jesus had the apostles organize the huge crowd into groups of about 50 people.

9:16-17 It is possible that when Jesus looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves, He uttered the traditional Jewish mealtime prayer: "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the world, who brings out bread from the earth." The miracle of the multiplying of the loaves and fish took place in the hands of Jesus as He broke the food and kept giving it to the disciples to distribute. At the end, it appears that each of the 12 apostles picked up a full basket of fragments, even after feeding thousands of people. The Jews were required to pick up scraps of food that fell during any meal.

9:18-20 These verses are another example of Luke's emphasis on prayer. The answers the disciples gave to Jesus' question about His identity prove that Herod Antipas was not the only person who was perplexed on this point (see note at v v. 7-9). When Jesus asked the disciples their personal opinion, Peter answered as spokesman for the group. His answer, that Jesus is The Christ of God, is the conclusion to which everything in Luke's Gospel points.

9:21-22 Jesus was not ready to present Himself openly as the Messiah. In popular Jewish views of that time, the Messiah was expected to overthrow Roman rule and, in a wave of popularity, take over as king of Israel. Contrary to this, Jesus' mission was to suffer and be rejected by the Jewish leadership before being slain and raised from the dead. This was the first of several predictions by Jesus of His death and/or resurrection (v. 44; 12:50; 17:25; 18:31-33).

9:23 To be a true disciple of Jesus requires self-denial. The cross was the most painful and humiliating form of execution of the Roman era. Thus, to take up one's cross daily is to expect painful situations every day because of allegiance to Christ.

9:24 That one must lose one's life to save it as opposed to living only for this world is Jesus' most common refrain in the Gospels (14:26-27; 17:33; Matt. 10:38-39; 16:24-25; Mark 8:34-35; John 12:25). To follow Him, we must lay down our devotion to this world and live for Christ and His mission.

9:25 No matter how wealthy a person is in this life, he will be bankrupt eternally if he dies without Christ.

9:26 To be ashamed of Christ and His words indicates unbelief, which will bring eternal judgment (12:9; 2 Tim. 2:12) at His second coming. It is also possible for believers to temporarily cower in fear around unbelieving peers and act "ashamed" of Jesus, as Peter did in his denials of Christ. In such cases a believer may suffer loss of heavenly reward (1 Cor. 3:10-15; 2 Cor. 5:10), but not suffer eternal punishment.

9:27 This cryptic statement refers to the next event in the book—the transfiguration of Jesus (v v. 28-35). Some standing here indicates Peter, James, and John, who were with Jesus at His transfiguration (v. 28). The glorious appearance of Jesus (v v. 29,32) was a preview of the coming kingdom of God.

9:28-29 On Peter and John and James, see note at 8:51-53. The traditional candidate for a mountain in these verses is mount Tabor, six miles east of Nazareth and about 1,900 feet in elevation. However, it is more likely that it was mount Hermon, located between Caesarea Philippi and Damascus, which rises to 9,000 feet above sea level. We are not told in what sense the appearance of Jesus' face changed. His clothes are described as glistering white (gleaming, like a bolt of lightning). There may be an intended similarity here to Moses after he was with God on mount Sinai (Exod. 34:29-35) or to the vision of the Son of man in Rev. 1:13-16.

9:30-31 Jewish tradition expected Moses and Elijah (see Mal. 4:5-6) to return before the arrival of the kingdom of God. Like Jesus, their appearances were almost blinding. The word translated decease (Gk exodos) means "departure," though it can also refer to the OT exodus from Egypt. The choice of this word may be an association with the presence of Moses. At Jerusalem makes it clear that the "exodus" would be Jesus' death on the cross.

9:32-33 It is not clear whether Peter, James, and John were heavy with sleep because it was in the middle of the night, or if they were caused to fall asleep as Daniel was when angels came (Dan. 8:18; 10:9). Peter spoke as Moses and Elijah departed in an attempt to prolong the glorious scene. But his idea was shortsighted for two reasons: (1) to make three equal tabernacles (temporary structures for housing) was to place Moses and Elijah on a level with Jesus, and not to worship Him exclusively (Rev. 19:10; 22:8-9); and (2) Jesus' discussion of His coming "exodus" in Jerusalem (see note at Luke 9:30-31) meant there was no room for delay in God's plan of redemption.

9:34-35 The cloud that overshadowed the scene recalls the cloud that came over the tabernacle in the wilderness (Exod. 40:34-35). The voice out of the cloud combines an echo of 3:22, at Jesus' baptism, and an allusion to Deut. 18:15, where Israel was told to hearken to the prophet like Moses who would come (the Messiah).

9:36 Matthew 17:9 states that Jesus commanded them to tell no one until after His resurrection. In 2 Pet. 1:16-18, Peter recalled his experience at the transfiguration.

9:38-42 It is not known whether the disciples who could not heal the demon-possessed boy were the nine apostles who did not see Jesus' transfiguration or some of the wider group of disciples. It is not explained whether it was just the onlookers, or also the disciples, whom Jesus called faithless. The boy was immediately healed when Jesus rebuked the demon.

9:44-45 In the aftermath of the healing of the demon-possessed boy (v v. 38-42), Jesus shifted gears and announced that He would soon be delivered (Gk paradidomi; "to be handed over, betrayed") and captured. The disciples were confused by Jesus' words. Luke stated that it was hid from them until after Jesus' death and resurrection. Meanwhile, their fear of Jesus' talk about betrayal and death kept them from asking Him what He meant.

9:46-48 The question about who would be the greatest came up more than once (22:24). Jesus knew the competitive pride that fostered the argument and was quick to point out that, spiritually, whoever was least (truly humble as a disciple of Christ) was great.

9:49-50 Apparently the man casting out demons in Jesus' name was a true disciple, even though he did not follow Jesus from town to town. The spiritual principle here is to be careful about judging, because certain people who are not against you may be on your side. The complimentary opposite point is made in 11:23.

9:51 The time to be received up refers to Jesus' ascension to heaven and the events leading up to it. To set one's face is a Hebrew expression for firmness of purpose in spite of danger. The mention of traveling to Jerusalem begins the third major section of Luke's Gospel (9:51–19:27).

9:52-56 The Samaritans would not receive Jesus because He was headed to Jerusalem to worship in the temple and not to mount Gerizim, their preferred site of worship (see John 4:20-21). In Mark 3:17, the apostles James and John were nicknamed by Jesus Boanerges, meaning "Sons of Thunder," likely indicating that they had fiery tempers. Fire from heaven recalls Elijah's action in 2 Kings 1:9-16.

9:57-58 Jesus warned this would-be disciple to count the cost before committing to follow Him. After all, even Christ Himself had no place to call home. To follow Christ is to loosen your grip on the things that normally provide physical and emotional security.

9:59-60 It is doubtful that this man's father had already died. If he had, the man would have been involved in burial rites instead of talking to Jesus. Thus, the man's words were an excuse to delay, possibly for years, his responsibility to follow Jesus and preach the kingdom of God.

9:61-62 In 14:26, Jesus made it clear that He must be the top priority in a disciple's life, even above one's family. The metaphor pictures looking over your shoulder while plowing, making it impossible to plow a straight furrow. Christians cannot follow Christ by looking back. We must focus on serving Him as we move ahead at His command.

10:1 Jesus sent out 70 followers to cover Judaea with the message of good news in advance of His coming.

10:2 Christ seems to be saying that, as great as the spiritual harvest was, the 70 whom He sent out to preach were not enough. There was need for many more to take the message, and prayers must be offered to meet this need.

10:3 Lambs among wolves was a common metaphor in Judaism for being in a dangerous situation.

10:5-6 Peace (Hb shalom) was a traditional Jewish greeting. The word actually speaks of wholeness or well-being. Son of is a Jewish expression meaning "one characterized by" (Acts 4:36). In this context, "son of peace" and your peace appear to relate to the 70 followers who were offering the message of peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).

10:7 On remain, see note at 9:3-5. The labourer is worthy of his hire is a basic principle of fairness. This was quoted by the apostle Paul in making his case for ministers of God's Word being paid for their work (1 Tim. 5:17-18).

10:8-9 If the 70 disciples were made welcome in a town, it indicated that the hearts of the people were open to the gospel message. In some sense, the present tense aspects of the kingdom of God were present in the preaching of the gospel and the healing ministry delegated by Jesus to the 70.

10:10-11 On wiping dust off the feet, see note at 9:3-5. On the kingdom of God is come nigh, see note at verses 8-9.

10:12 That day is the day of judgment. Sodom was destroyed by the Lord because of its sin (Gen. 19:23).

10:13 Chorazin and Bethsaida were towns in Galilee near Capernaum. Tyre and Sidon were Gentile cities in Phoenicia on the Mediterranean coast northwest of Galilee. Sackcloth and ashes were worn by those in mourning, sometimes as an expression of repentance from sin (Neh. 9:1; Jon. 3:5).

10:15 Jesus spent more time in ministry in Capernaum than anywhere else in Galilee. Yet, in their arrogance, the people of this city rejected Jesus and, as a result of their unbelief, would be sent to hell (Gk hades; the realm of death or punishment beyond the grave).

10:16 The Father sent the Son and the Son in turn sent out the 70 disciples to preach and heal (v v. 1,9). Since they were commissioned by Christ, to listen to the 70 was like listening to Jesus Himself. Likewise, to reject the 70 was to reject Jesus. Finally, to reject Jesus was to reject God the Father.

10:17-20 Part of the healing that the seventy disciples performed (v. 9) had to do with casting out demons. The phrase Satan . . . fall from heaven is probably an echo of Ezek. 28:16-17, speaking of the initial judgment upon the devil after he rebelled against God. This passage speaks of a further defeat suffered by Satan as Jesus' disciples were victorious in ministry over the power of the enemy (Satan), symbolized here by serpents and scorpions. As awesome as the power to cast out demons was, it was even more significant that the disciples' names were written in the listing of the elect of God—the Lamb's book of life in heaven (see Rev. 13:8).

10:21-22 The mention of the spirit here is part of Luke's emphasis on the Holy Spirit. The wise and prudent people of the area had rejected the ministry of the 70 disciples, but the insignificant and children had accepted their message. In God's plan (see Eph. 1:3-11), these things were hid (Gk apokrupto; "to keep secret") from some and revealed to others. It is impossible for spiritually dead humans to know God the Father or His Son unless the Son reveals both.

10:23-24 It was a truly blessed circumstance to see the ministry of Christ and even His delegated authority in healing and casting out demons. Peter stated that, beyond OT prophets and kings, even angels wanted to see and hear the things that Jesus was doing (see 1 Pet. 1:12).

10:25 Lawyer refers to a scribe (11:45-46,52-53), many of whom were also Pharisees. The question asked was a standard one in Judaism and was intended to test Jesus. To inherit (Gk kleronomeo; "to receive an allotted share") eternal life shows that many Jews thought their eternal destiny was based on their Jewish bloodline and their good deeds.

10:26-28 Jesus turned the tables on the scribe by asking him to answer his own question, then complimented the man on correctly citing Lev. 19:18 and Deut. 6:5. Jesus did not say that it is possible to earn eternal life by loving God and neighbour. No human other than Jesus has been able to love perfectly in every situation. Since heart . . . soul, and mind are sometimes used interchangeably in Scripture, the terms here are not intended to speak of separate aspects of human existence. Rather, they describe the total person.

10:29 Having correctly answered the first question, this man asked for an important clarification. Certain kinds of neighbors are of course easy to love, while others, being argumentative or of different religious and moral persuasions, can be very hard to love. It seems that the man hoped Jesus would justify his bias against certain kinds of neighbors.

10:30-32 The road from Jerusalem to Jericho, a distance of 17 miles with a descent of more than 3,000 feet in elevation, was a dangerous route through desert country. It had many places where thieves could lie in wait. It is possible that the priest and the Levite . . . passed by on the other side of the road because they thought the wounded man was dead and they would become ritually unclean by touching him, but it is more likely that they were afraid of being attacked by the same robbers or simply did not want to be bothered with the inconvenience of helping the man.

10:33-35 The Jews considered the Samaritans to be half-breeds who had intermarried with foreigners and who were guilty of false worship. For such a sworn enemy of the Jews to show compassion on an injured Jew and pay the expenses of his recuperation, while two Jewish religious officials did not, would deeply humiliate a Jew.

10:36-37 Now Jesus got back to the question with which this story began: Who is my neighbor? (see note at v. 29). His point was that the Samaritan proved he was a good neighbour by his gracious actions toward the man who had been attacked by robbers. It was impossible for the scribe to avoid acknowledging that it was the Samaritan who shewed mercy. Jesus' reply to go, and do thou likewise emphasized that Jews should love their Samaritan neighbors even as the good Samaritan in the story had acted in love toward a Jew.

10:38-39 The village was Bethany, just over the mount of Olives and two miles east of Jerusalem. Martha and Mary were the sisters of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:1-44). The posture of a committed disciple was at the feet of her teacher, listening.

10:40-42 Martha was distracted from what should have been her highest priority—learning from Jesus. She was full of care and troubled about all the household chores that needed to be done and irritated with her sister Mary because it was the role of women to serve men in such a setting. Jesus indicated that Martha's focus should be the same as her sister's—discipleship, an eternally commendable choice that will never be taken away.

11:1-4 This model prayer for Jesus' disciples is similar to the one in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6:9-13), but much shorter. Apparently, the disciples were motivated to learn to pray by both Jesus' example and that of John the Baptist and his disciples. It was unusual for Jews to refer to God as Father. Such an address would seem too personal and familiar. Even though Luke emphasized the offer of the kingdom of God (4:43) and the nearness of the kingdom in Jesus' ministry (10:9,11), some aspects of the kingdom are still to come. All people are dependent on the Lord to meet their daily needs. Indebted refers to what is "owed" to us spiritually (i.e., having been sinned against). The phrase lead us not into temptation is in contrast with Christ Himself, who was led by the Holy Spirit to be tested by Satan (see note at 4:1).

11:5-8 The point of this story is that bold importunity (persistence) pays off. But, as with the story of the widow and the judge in 18:1-8, it must not be understood that God is like the hesitant homeowner in the story. If bold persistence is rewarded even by someone who is disposed against granting our request, how much more so will God, who cares about His children, delight in responding generously to our persistent prayers.

11:9-10 Asking, seeking, and knocking visualize different aspects of prayer, all of which are valid. The Greek present tense—keep asking, keep searching, keep knocking—reflects the persistence theme of verses 5-8. The promise of verse 10 does not mean every prayer is answered as we want it to be. Rather, it means that if we persist in prayer, our prayers will eventually be answered according to God's best for us.

11:13 If the good gifts are related to the Holy Spirit, the wording may be speaking of spiritual gifts (Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12). This verse reflects Luke's emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Leading up to the day of Pentecost, the apostles and other believers waited in prayer (Acts 1:14) for the baptism of the Spirit to come. In that instance, the heavenly Father gave the Holy Spirit to those who asked Him.

11:14-15 Instead of praising God for Jesus' healing of the mute demon-possessed man, some in the crowd accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. Beelzebub, the god worshipped by Philistines in Ekron, had become a nickname for Satan.

11:17-20 Jesus made two key points in His defense: (1) It is nonsense to think that Satan would divide his own house by casting out his own demons, and (2) it is unlikely that Jewish exorcists were drawing on a different source of power than Jesus. Thus, the best explanation of what happened was that Jesus drove out demons by God's power active in the world.

11:21-22 Jesus, being stronger than Satan, was in the process of disarming him. Divideth his spoils may refer to the same thing as the giving of gifts related to Christ's victory in Eph. 4:8.

11:23 This is the complimentary opposite principle from what is stated in 9:50. Since the context has to do with demonic activity and power, anyone who did not believe that Jesus cast out demons by the power of God was against Christ. Gathering and scattering is a reference to a shepherd with a flock of sheep. This could refer to either Israel or the church as a flock since Luke wrote his Gospel after the church's beginning.

11:24-26 These verses warn that the exorcism of a demon is incomplete unless Christ enters by faith and indwells the person who is healed. Otherwise, there is nothing to prevent the demon from reentering the person or even making things worse.

1:27-28 Jesus did not deny that His mother, Mary, was greatly blessed. Instead, He stated that a person who hears God's word and acts upon it in faith is even more blessed than anyone who has mere family ties to Him (Rev. 1:3).

11:29-32 There are two possible meanings of the sign of Jonas. (1) Since Jonas's preaching prompted repentance by the Ninevites (Jon. 3), such preaching was the only sign Israel would receive from Jesus, or (2) Jonas's three days and nights in the large fish (Jon. 1:17) was a foreshadowing of Jesus' death and resurrection, which was the sign that would be given to that evil generation. The queen of Sheba (queen of the south) responded to the wisdom of Solomon, which was not equal to the wisdom and salvation offered by Jesus, the Son of man. If Nineveh repented at Jonas's proclamation, how much more should the crowds repent at Jesus' preaching!

11:33-36 Jesus held forth the light of the gospel for all to see. Those who rejected Him and His message had evil spiritual eyes, which turned the light of Christ into darkness. But those who received Christ by faith were filled with light.

11:37-38 The ritual washing that took place before a meal was an ancient Jewish tradition, but it was not commanded in the Mosaic law (Mark 7:3).

11:39-41 Jesus declared that the problem of uncleanness on our inside is not taken care of by cleansing our outside (hands, feet, etc.). The way to make sure everything is clean in God's eyes is to give freely from a heart devoted to God.

11:42-44 The first woe pronounced by Jesus on the Pharisees was not because they tithed everything, but because they did not practice justice and devotion. The second woe was because they loved the spotlight. Regarding the third woe, if Jews walked over unmarked graves, they became defiled. Ironically, Jesus said that following the teachings of the Pharisees was like walking over an unmarked grave; you would become defiled without even knowing it. The teachings of the Pharisees seemed genuine and true, but in reality they were corrupted and misleading.

11:45-46 The scribe standing by realized that the three woes Jesus had just pronounced against the Pharisees also reflected negatively on the scribes. So Jesus leveled an additional woe on the scribes (lawyers). The burdens that they themselves did not carry could mean that the scribes were hypocritical in their keeping of the law or that they had no compassion for the people who tried to live by their burdensome regulations.

11:47-48 The scribes and Pharisees were pleased to honor the prophets with monuments, now that the prophets were dead and silenced. The scribes and Pharisees were like their fathers, who killed God's prophets.

11:49-51 God was not surprised when His prophets and apostles were persecuted or killed. Because of the presence of Jesus—who was far greater than prophets or apostles—that generation of Israel was held responsible (see the similar statement about Babylon the Great in Rev. 18:20). The judgment for that responsibility was apparently the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. Abel was the victim of the first murder in Scripture (Gen. 4:8), while Zacharias's murder is recorded in 2 Chron. 24:20-25. Since 2 Chronicles was the last book in the Hebrew Bible, that would make it the last murder in the Bible of Jesus' day.

11:52 In Matt. 23:13, Jesus accused the scribes (lawyers) of locking up "the kingdom of heaven." Here in Luke, the key of knowledge is the Scriptures, which the scribes and Pharisees mishandled. Thus the people were hindered from understanding the things of God.

11:53-54 The scribes and Pharisees reacted with accusations and hostile questions. Their intent was to trap Jesus by some statement for which He could be arrested.

12:1-3 In the NT, leaven is normally a symbol of corruption or evil (Matt. 16:6,11; 1 Cor. 5:6-8; Gal. 5:9). Here it is hypocrisy, which fools many people, but it will eventually be revealed by God, who is never fooled. Everything said in private will become public knowledge.

12:4-5 There are many people who can kill you physically, but that is the limit of the harm they can do. As natural as it is to fear such people, it makes more sense to fear God, for He presides over not just life and death but eternity. Those who remain opposed to Him by their unbelief and unrepentant sins will be punished in hell.

12:6-7 If God does not overlook even the most insignificant birds, He is aware of all the details of life of every human being. Farthings translates the Greek word for a coin that was similar to a nickel.

12:8-9 In 9:26 Jesus said if a person is "ashamed" of Him, he will face shame in the judgment. Here, it is also positively stated that if a person will confess (Gk homologeo) Christ, He will do likewise in heaven.

12:10 Apparently, speaking against Jesus could be forgiven because of His human appearance (one aspect of the meaning of Son of man). According to the parallel passage in Mark 3:28-30, blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is to attribute to Satan the works of the Spirit.

12:11-12 Classic examples where the Holy Ghost did teach them what to say in front of rulers and authorities are Acts 4:8-12; 5:29-32.

12:13-15 Disputes over family inheritance were normally handled by rabbis in Jewish society, and Jesus was here recognized as such. The person who approached Jesus was probably a younger brother who was upset because his older brother received twice the inheritance, the Jewish tradition. Jesus refused to be drawn into the matter, realizing that the man's motivation was greed.

12:16-20 The rich man was infatuated with hoarding his goods. In his self-centered perspective (note "I" and "my" in v v. 17-19), he thought this was an effective strategy for a long life of leisure and pleasure. But God views such an outlook as foolish and short-sighted. When a person dies—which could be at any time—"you can't take it with you."

12:21 Rich toward God is what Matt. 6:20 refers to as "treasures in heaven" (cp. Luke 12:33). It means living to glorify God and investing our earthly assets to make an eternal difference.

2:22-26 Jesus' advice to His disciples was not to be overcome with anxiety over the basic needs of life. Worrying won't change the least thing. Since God feeds the ravens, who have no storeroom, will He not care for humans, His most valuable and beloved creatures?

12:27-32 If God dresses nature so beautifully, He will certainly meet a disciple's basic needs. The unsaved nations pursue provision and wealth as if life were all about these things and as if God were unconcerned about their needs, but this is not to be the focus of the Christian. Believers can rest assured that the Father will give the benefits of the kingdom to His children with joy.

12:33-34 If a disciple is living for God's glory and His kingdom (v. 31), he or she will choose priorities for this life that are designed to reap unfailing heavenly dividends.

12:35-40 It is not known when the return of Christ will take place, so it is necessary to be constantly vigilant. If a thief can come unexpectedly, how much more can the coming of Christ catch His servants by surprise?

12:41-44 Jesus previously told His disciples that His parables held secrets that were only for His followers (see note at 8:9-10). Jesus did not answer Peter's question directly. Instead, He told another story about a lord and his steward. The story in verses 35-40 emphasized that the master's servant should be watching, but this story made it clear that the servant must also be working. Disciples who persevere in faithfulness will be rewarded by the master.

12:45-48 If a servant does not faithfully watch and work, there will be severe consequences when his lord comes. The reason for the difference in punishments is the principle of accountable stewardship. More is expected of those to whom much is given.

12:49-50 Fire in these verses symbolizes judgment at the second coming of Christ. A baptism refers to the suffering of Christ, specifically His agony on the cross (Mark 10:38). Straitened (Gk sunecho; "to control, distress") expresses how focused Jesus was on completing His mission. It be accomplished are the words Jesus used on the cross to signal that redemption was finished (John 19:30).

12:51-53 Jesus Christ made peace with God possible for anyone who will choose to follow as His disciple (Rom. 5:1). Unbelievers, however, remain at odds with God and His requirements for holiness. There will be such division over the gospel of Christ that some families will be split down the middle. The spiritual family of God is more important than family bloodlines.

12:54-56 Showers in the Levant usually blow in from the west, off the Mediterranean sea. The south wind was dry and hot. Time (Gk kairos) refers to "the opportune moment," in this case the presence of the Messiah in their midst.

12:57-59 The desirability of settling accounts before undergoing judicial punishment pictures the need to be reconciled to God (Rom. 5:10) before facing His judgment. At that point, it will be too late to seek reconciliation.

13:1-5 It is not known why Pontius Pilate (see note at 3:1) killed the Galilaeans mentioned here. The mention of their sacrifices specifies that their deaths took place in the temple area, probably in relation to a major religious festival, when all Jewish men were required to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Nor is anything else known about the 18 people killed by the collapse of the tower in Siloam in the southeastern part of Jerusalem. Jesus' questions were apparently inspired by widespread opinion that such things happen only as punishment for specific sins. Jesus countered this notion but nevertheless emphasized that every person must repent (see note at 3:2-3) or else perish spiritually for eternity.

13:6-9 The fig tree is often used as a symbol for the nation of Israel (Matt. 24:32-33; Mark 11:12-14). Though young fig trees are slow to begin bearing fruit, three years was a sufficient length of time for trees to become mature and thus fruitful. The extra year requested by the vineyard worker represented one final chance for the trees to become fruitful. This parable thus referred to Israel's last chance before judgment. If they rejected Jesus' message and miracles, the time for patience would be ended. But a future hope for Israel remains (Rom. 11).

13:10-13 The mention of the sabbath as the time of this healing calls to mind the earlier controversy between Jesus and the religious leaders (6:1-11). The woman He healed had severe curvature of the spine, caused somehow by an evil spirit. The healing involved two acts: (1) releasing her from the demon, and (2) straightening her spine. This verse does not imply that all deformities or illnesses are commonly caused by demons. This was apparently a rare case, reflective of the heightened spiritual warfare during the time of Christ's earthly stay.

13:14-16 The ruler of the synagogue rejected the healing as work done in violation of the sabbath day (see note at Exod. 20:8-11). Jesus revealed the hypocrisy by showing that it was necessary for everyone to do some work on the sabbath, notably related to the tending of farm animals. Should not a Jewish woman under bondage to Satan for such a long time also be released on the sabbath?

13:17 Those who had sided with the leader of the synagogue were ashamed because it made them look as if they had more compassion for animals than for a demonized, disfigured woman.

13:18-21 Both of these parables allude to the astonishing advancement of God's rule in this world that Jesus initiated. The first story focused on the kingdom's small beginning (in the ancient world the mustard seed was considered the smallest) and dramatic spread through Jesus' ministry. The second parable reinforced the first, with the implication that the kingdom of God would eventually permeate the entire earth much as yeast can spread through a huge batch of dough. While it is true that leaven, or yeast, often symbolizes evil in the Bible (1 Cor. 5:6), here it calls to mind the potency of Jesus' message and works on behalf of humanity.

13:22 Luke structured his Gospel in a way that emphasizes that Jesus was journeying toward Jerusalem in order to die on the cross.

13:23-27 The question about few being saved may reflect two important realities about Jesus' ministry: (1) true discipleship comes with many difficult challenges, and (2) though large crowds came to hear Jesus, there were relatively few who authentically followed Him as disciples. Jesus' story explained it is because they were not entering by the strait (narrow) gate (faith in Jesus) while the Lord gave them opportunity (in this case, while Jesus was present, preaching the gospel). Unbelievers may appeal that they knew Jesus in His social life and public ministry, but they don't know the Lord personally as Saviour. Because they had not been justified (declared righteous) through faith in Christ (Rom. 5:1), they were ultimately workers of iniquity.

13:28-29 An irony of eternal life in the kingdom of God is that many Jews, though they were the original people of God's covenant, will be excluded due to their unbelief, while many believing Gentiles will sit down at the table in full fellowship because they have accepted God's offer of reconciliation in Jesus. There will be much anguish among excluded Jews.

13:30 The kingdom of God reverses many of the world's values. Here believing Gentiles, though they were historically not part of God's covenant people Israel, became the first to receive the Messiah en masse. The Jews were chronologically first in God's plan, but they became spiritually last since the bulk of their numbers rejected Christ. Jews will only receive Jesus widely near the end of the age (Rom. 11:25-27).

13:31-34 Jesus seemed to take the warning of these Pharisees at face value, though it is doubtful that they really wished to protect Jesus from Herod Antipas (see note at 3:1). Most likely they simply wanted Him to leave their region. Though verse 32 makes it seem that Jesus stayed put for three days more, the subsequent mention of walking to Jerusalem in order to perish there makes it likely that this verse was a veiled reference to His coming resurrection. The topic allowed Jesus to review the city's history of killing the prophets whom God sent to her. Jerusalem had repeatedly rejected God's compassionate outreach. The city would soon do the same thing again by rejecting Jesus, God's Son.

13:35 God's blessing and protection would be removed, leading ultimately to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in a.d. 70. This quote from Ps. 118:26 was later cited in regard to Jesus' "triumphant entry" (see note at Luke 19:37-38). However, here it looks beyond that to the second coming of Christ (see Zech. 12:10; Rev. 1:7).

14:1-4 These verses continue the theme (see 6:1-11) of the Pharisees seeking to trap Jesus. The major symptom of dropsy was swollen limbs. Jesus performed five miracles on the sabbath in Luke (v v. 1-4 ; 4:31,38; 6:6; 13:10,14). The probable reason the scribes (lawyers) and Pharisees refused to answer Jesus' question was that others had been humiliated previously when they tried to debate Jesus on this topic (see note at 13:17).

14:5 The commandment not to work on the sabbath day (Deut. 5:12-14) should not have been taken to mean that rescue efforts (for people or animals) were forbidden on the sabbath.

14:7-10 The danger of arrogantly taking the best place at a banquet (near the host) was that the person who invited you—here representing God—could ask you to move to the lowest place at the banquet table, causing humiliation rather than honor. It was wiser to sit in the seat of the humble and then be asked to go up to a seat of higher honor.

14:11 The principle that arrogance leads to humiliation appears repeatedly in the OT Wisdom Literature, especially Proverbs. That humility can lead to exaltation is a common theme in the NT (Luke 18:14; James 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6).

14:12-14 True hospitality will be blessed by the Lord if you invite those who cannot return the favor. The resurrection of the just is the positive side of the resurrection mentioned in Dan. 12:2 and John 5:28-29. It is probably the same thing as "the first resurrection" mentioned in Rev. 20:4-6.

14:15 The statement about being blessed to eat bread in the coming kingdom of God is true. However, the person who said this probably assumed that many at the table in the Pharisee's home (v. 1) would experience this blessing. The story Jesus told next (v v. 16-24) reflected a different reality.

14:16-20 This story symbolizes being invited to the messianic banquet in the future kingdom of God (v. 15). Those who were initially invited (the religious leaders of the Jewish people) all made excuses about why they could not attend.

14:21-24 After being rejected by those who symbolized the religious leaders, the unfortunate ones to whom Jesus came to minister (Isa. 61:1) were invited. However, there was still room for others, so a wider group was also invited. These stand for Gentiles. Non-Jewish participation in the gospel is a common theme in Luke's Gospel.

14:26 Hate here hyperbolically expresses the same principle found in Matt. 10:37. Disciples must love Jesus more than they love their own family members.

14:28-32 Like a person who does not foresee the full cost of building a tower and suffers ridicule for starting something he cannot finish, a disciple must understand what it will take to complete the Christian life before he makes the commitment. Similarly, a king must soberly consider the odds before going to war.

14:33 The essence of being a disciple of Christ is unreserved commitment to Him. This involves holding loosely the material things of this world.

14:34-35 Most salt of the ancient world was impure and lost its taste easily, making it unfit to use even as fertilizer or as a catalyst for burning manure. The danger for a person who lets his witness become "unsalty" is that he or she may be discarded from the Lord's service. On ears to hear, see note at 8:5-8.

15:1-2 On publicans and sinners, see note at 5:29-30. To share a meal with someone typically indicates that you accept them.

15:4-7 Though it might be considered reckless to leave a flock of 99 sheep to search for the lost one, Jesus' story emphasizes how much God cares for every lost sinner and the joy He expresses when each one is found.

15:8-10 To search for a lost coin (Gk drachma; worth about a day's wage) indoors required lighting a candle since very few homes had windows. This search also required sweeping the house, because the floor was earthen.

15:11-12 Although this is usually called the parable of the prodigal son, the older brother and the father are also important characters. It was unusual, but not unheard of, for a father to settle his estate before his death. Since the older son got a double portion, the younger son's share would have been one-third.

15:13-15 The younger son had no intention of returning to his family. It is impossible to know whether his riotous living included "harlots" (v. 30), or if that was just an angry accusation made by the older brother. The irony of the penniless younger son's new job was that swine were unclean animals to Jews (Lev. 11:7). He was at rock bottom in his new life.

15:17-19 It took extreme poverty and hunger to prompt the younger son to come to his senses and realize that, in spite of all he had done, the correct course of action was to return and become one of his father's hired servants. First, however, he must humbly admit he deserves to be disowned. This is a vivid picture of a person "hitting bottom" and finally realizing the magnitude of his sin.

15:20-23 That the father saw his son coming from a great way off indicates that he habitually looked for his return. Perhaps the normal parental reaction to the younger son's return would be anger or at least deep disappointment, but this father's response displayed (1) compassion, (2) deep affection, (3) celebration, and (4) joyful restoration of status (a robe of distinction, signet ring of family authority, and shoes worn by a son, in contrast to barefoot slaves).

15:24-30 Here the parable ties in to the two previous stories about God's joy in saving the lost. The father's celebratory attitude depicts the way in which God the Father receives repentant sinners. This contrasts with the contempt the Pharisees and scribes displayed for sinners who came to Jesus (v. 2). Instead of the story ending on a note of joy and celebration, as might be expected, the spotlight shifts to the elder son. Unlike the father's positive attitude, the older brother (1) was surprised at the return of his sinning brother, (2) was offended and jealous at the father's celebration, (3) became angry at the father's forgiving love, (4) declared his own self-righteousness, and (5) focused on his brother's sinfulness rather than his newfound repentance. Jesus' representation of the religious leaders in the character of the older brother was a scathing rebuke of their self-righteousness.

15:31-32 The rebuke of the religious leaders continues. They did not understand (1) the opportunity for a close relationship with God, (2) the generosity of His grace, (3) His joy at the salvation of sinners, or (4) the profound transformation of conversion. Perhaps most crucial of all, however, is the reminder of kinship to the sinners intended in the phrase this thy brother. The religious leaders refused to accept their Jewish brethren, the "sinners," just like the older brother in this story.

16:1-2 A rich man would often employ a steward (Gk oikonomos; "manager, administrator") who handled all the business affairs of his estate. The charge that this manager had squandered the rich man's goods, indicating either neglectful management or criminal misconduct, must have been true. After all, the manager offered no defense when questioned. The landowner demanded a careful accounting of his assets, possibly so the next manager would have accurate data from the outset.

16:3-4 Realizing that he was being fired, the manager had to find a way to support himself. Since he was not in condition to do physical labor and too proud to beg, he focused on a way to make his former clients willing to offer him hospitality.

16:5-7 Four explanations are offered for the manager's tactics in lowering these debts: (1) He dropped the price enough to ingratiate himself with the debtors, (2) he removed the interest charges on the debt, (3) he removed his commission on the transactions, or (4) he reduced the debt back to what it should have been in the first place, after having overcharged them previously in a bid to cover his mismanagement. All four tactics are possible, but it should be remembered that the manager was required to present a full accounting to the landowner. Therefore, his tactics here must have been legitimate.

16:8-9 Because the Greek word translated lord is kurios, some have thought that it was God who commended the unjust steward. However, it is much more likely that the story continues until the middle of verse 8. Thus, it was the landowner who offered praise, and he did so only because the manager acted wisely (Gk phronimos; "shrewdly") in response to his errors. In the last half of verse 8 and all of verse 9, Jesus shares an implication of the story: unbelievers typically deal shrewdly with each other and win friends by this means, whereas believers often fail to utilize their financial resources to win people to faith, who thus become friends forever and who, if they precede them in death, will greet them in heaven when they die. Thus Jesus encouraged His followers to use their money shrewdly (but innocently) in order to advance God's kingdom.

16:10-12 A second lesson that this story teaches is the need to be faithful before the Lord. Spiritually, every believer is a steward of the gifts God has given. If you are faithful with small amounts of money, the Lord may trust you with much more, including things of priceless eternal value. If you cannot be trusted with only a little, you would also be a poor steward if more were entrusted to you.

16:13-15 The Pharisees believed it was possible to serve both God and money. Jesus told the Pharisees that their desire to be esteemed among men was an abomination to God, for He does not approve of the world's values.

16:16-17 The law and the prophets is a way of referring to the entire OT (v. 29; 24:27,44). The ministry of John the Baptist marked the end of the old covenant era. The ministry of Jesus began the offer of the gospel, the new covenant era, and embodied the nearness of the kingdom of God. In this context, every man presseth probably refers to the urgency expressed by the evangelistic preaching efforts of John the Baptist, Jesus, and His apostles. On one tittle, see Matt. 5:17-20.

16:18 Remarriage after divorce constitutes adultery if the former marriage was dissolved for illegitimate reasons or motivations; hence the strict terms of this verse. The parallel passages in Matt. 5:31-32 and 19:9 are more detailed. They indicate that remarriage is legitimate in cases where the former marriage was dissolved due to sexual immorality.

16:19-21 The rich man (called Dives, Latin for "rich man") clearly did not use his wealth to make friends in the "eternal dwellings" (see note at v v. 8-9). Full of sores (Gk elkoo; "to be ulcerated") is a medical term used only here in the NT, perhaps reflecting Luke's background as a physician (Col. 4:14). It is ironic that the suffering beggar was named Lazarus since a man by that name would later rise from the dead (John 11:1-44). On clothed in purple, see Acts 16:14.

16:22-24 The circumstances were reversed after both men died. The Jewish Talmud refers to both paradise (23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4) and Abraham's bosom as names for the place of blessedness beyond the grave. Hell (Gk hades), the equivalent of the Hebrew sheol, is the place of the dead generally. In this case, however, because of the mention of being in torments, it must be viewed as the place of the unrighteous dead. In this flame refers to the eternal lake of fire (Matt. 25:41).

16:25 This verse is an application of the principle in 13:30. The rich man had been "first" in this life, having enjoyed many good things, but was now "last," referring to his torment in the afterlife. Lazarus had been "last" during his earthly existence (v v. 20-21), but now was "first" (eternally comforted).

16:26 In the afterlife, there is a separation between believers in heaven and unbelievers in hell which cannot be spanned.

16:27-29 Not being able to improve his own lot, the rich man finally showed concern for the eternal destiny of his five brethren. The phrase Moses and the prophets is another way of referring to the entire OT (see note at v v. 16-17).

16:30-31 The irony here is that Luke, writing from a time after Jesus' resurrection, knew that very few people would be persuaded to repent even through witnessing the miracle of someone rising from the dead (Lazarus or Jesus). They must listen with "ears to hear" to the message of salvation in the Scriptures. On Moses and the prophets, see notes at verses 16-17 and 27-29.

17:1-2 Divine judgment awaits the person who causes a disciple of Christ to sin. A millstone was a round stone used to grind grain, too large for one man to carry much less to swim with it.

17:3-4 The purpose of rebuking a sinner is to get him to repent of his sin. If there is true repentance, there should be full forgiveness. Seven is the biblical number of completeness. To forgive "seven times" means to keep forgiving, no matter what (see Matt. 18:21-22).

17:5-6 Genuine faith is powerful even in small quantities. The mustard seed was thought by farmers in the Levant to be the smallest of seeds. A sycamine is another name for a mulberry tree, which has such an extensive and deep root system that it might live for several hundred years. It took a very powerful force to uproot such a tree.

17:7-10 A servant who only did his job, or what was commanded, got no special commendation since all he had done was to fulfill his responsibilities. Similarly, a disciple of Christ (v. 1) should not expect special commendation for doing what is required. We serve the Lord because this is what it means to follow Him as disciples. It is our duty.

17:11 Jesus apparently walked along the border of Samaria and Galilee, then crossed the Jordan river at the nearest point, proceeding down the eastern bank of the Jordan toward the crossing point opposite Jericho (see note at 19:1-2), which is the next location mentioned in the narrative (18:35).

17:15-19 It is striking that the only one of the 10 men healed who returned and thanked Jesus was a foreigner: a Samaritan. This is in keeping with Luke's theme of the universal outreach of the gospel. Jesus' statement thy faith hath made thee whole implies that the Samaritan was healed physically and spiritually.

17:20-21 The Jews were looking for a kingdom of God that would come with signs in the sky and miracles (Joel 2:28-32), but that was yet future. The aspect of God's kingdom that Jesus emphasized in His ministry was not observable in that sense. Yet, the presence of the King (Jesus) and His offer of the kingdom through the gospel meant that the kingdom was already within the world.

17:22-24 Jesus' disciples must not be led astray by false predictions of His coming. When He comes, it will be as obvious as lightning flashing across the sky.

17:25 This is one of numerous predictions Jesus made about His suffering and rejection in Luke's Gospel (5:35; 9:22,43-44; 13:32-33; 18:32; 24:7).

17:26-29 Before Christ comes back, there will be no clear-cut warning signs that signal the end. Rather, it will be like the days of Noah or Lot, when business as usual was carried on until destruction suddenly hit.

17:30-33 When Jesus returns, those on earth must not be attached to their possessions and earthly comforts, as was Lot's wife (see Gen. 19:26). Commitment to Christ involves attachment only to spiritual and eternal realities. These provide the greatest security available.

17:34-36 The three aspects of life mentioned here cover the normal routine in an agricultural society: sleeping, grinding grain, and working in a field. It is not certain whether the one who is taken will be a believer taken by the Lord (see 1 Thess. 4:15-17) or an unbeliever taken in judgment (Matt. 13:40-42).

17:37 Jesus answered the disciples' question about where His coming would take place with a proverbial saying. It is easy to find a body by noting where the scavengers are circling. Similarly, there will be no hiding Christ's second coming. It will be obvious to the entire world.

18:1 This parable speaks to the common tendency to become discouraged and stop praying before receiving an answer from God.

18:2-3 This judge was not a religious or compassionate man. A widow in that culture was almost helpless. Her only hope was that her persistent plea for justice would be granted.

18:4-5 Though the judge was unprincipled and unwilling to grant the widow's request (perhaps he was waiting for the widow to offer a bribe) he eventually caved in and granted her justice because she was persistent and he knew she would soon wear him out.

18:6-8 Jesus intends to make a contrast between the unjust judge and God. Unlike the unjust judge, God will not only grant justice to His children who are praying consistently, but will act speedily in doing so. Just before Christ's second coming, genuine faith—the kind that includes persistent prayer—will be rare on earth (Matt. 24:12-13).

18:10-14 There were times around the morning and evening sacrifices at the temple when people could pray, although private prayer at other times was allowed. The Pharisee apparently kept the requirements of the Mosaic law and beyond (giving tithes was all that was required). He was proud of his actions and his religious superiority to people such as the publican. By contrast, the tax collector knew that, as a sinner, he deserved only God's wrath. Jesus emphasized that God's justification is available to the humble, while the self-exalting will be brought low.

18:15-17 Jesus' disciples apparently thought His time was too precious to be taken up with infants. Jesus responded that little children coming to Him demonstrate the kind of childlike faith that is necessary to enter the kingdom of God.

18:18-23 The ruler was under the impression that eternal life could be earned by works (what shall I do). Jesus shifted the focus by asserting that goodness only comes from God. Either the ruler had kept all the commandments listed in verse 20 or Jesus preferred not to argue about that. The latter is most likely, especially since Jesus' follow-up command revealed that the man was more interested in wealth on earth than treasure in heaven (where he would have eternal life).

18:24-27 Jesus contradicted the conventional wisdom that those with riches were blessed by God and would certainly be in His kingdom. A camel trying to go through a needle's eye was apparently a proverbial saying for what was impossible; this explains the question from Jesus' hearers. His response was that people cannot be saved by their own efforts, but only by salvation that comes by God's grace.

18:28-30 After hearing the earlier discussions, Peter—as spokesman for the apostles—indicated that they had done precisely what Jesus had instructed the rich ruler to do in verse 22. Jesus replied that not only would they have life everlasting in the age to come, but they would also be greatly blessed in this life. To leave wife and children means itinerant ministry, not divorce or abandonment of domestic responsibilities.

18:31-34 As is true through the entire middle portion of Luke's Gospel, the movement of the narrative is toward Jerusalem. The only passage in the OT prophets that deals with the Son of man is found in Dan. 7:13 and its context. However, there are several major prophecies about the sufferings of the Messiah, notably Ps. 22 and Isa. 53. Delivered and rise again give a preview of Luke's narrative from 22:63 to 24:12. The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant about these things until after His resurrection (24:25-27,44-46).

18:35-43 Jesus apparently crossed the Jordan river to the east near the border between Galilee and Samaria (17:11). Now He crossed back to the west opposite Jericho. When the blind man inquired about the crowd, he was only told that Jesus of Nazareth (a town of little significance) was near. There is nothing messianic about such an identification. However, when he cried out that Jesus was the Son of David (see Matt. 1:1), he was confessing Jesus as Messiah. His faith became the basis for his healing. His cry, have mercy on me, prompted Jesus to restore his sight. It is ironic that the formerly blind man, who now became a disciple of Jesus, could see immediately, while the 12 apostles had no insight into where Jesus and His ministry were headed (see note at v v. 31-34).

19:1-2 Jericho was one of the most ancient cities in the world. It was located about five miles west of the Jordan river, 10 miles northwest of the Dead sea, and about 17 miles by winding road from Jerusalem. Chief refers to a supervisor of other tax collectors in a certain tax district. Zacchaeus was rich because he had taken advantage of his position by extorting money (see note at v v. 5-9).

19:3-4 A sycomore tree might grow to be 30 to 40 feet tall. However, it had low, spreading branches that even a short man could climb and that would support his weight.

19:5-9 Must (Gk dei; "it is necessary") implies divine necessity in Jesus' statement about staying at Zacchaeus's house. The Jews greatly resented tax collectors because they worked for the Roman government that had invaded Israel, turning her into a subject nation. Thus Jesus' decision to stay overnight with such a sinner as Zacchaeus, who had sold out and mistreated his own people, seemed outrageous. But Zacchaeus's words and actions were those of a transformed man. It was considered extremely generous to give one-fifth to the poor, but Zacchaeus stated he would give half. Also, while repayment for extortion was 20 percent over what had been extorted, Zacchaeus promised to repay fourfold. Zacchaeus had become a son of Abraham and gained salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:7).

19:10 Son of man was both a messianic title for Jesus and a reflection of His full humanity.

19:11 In keeping with the messianic expectation of that day, Jesus' disciples believed that as soon as He arrived in Jerusalem, He would be declared ruler and overturn the Romans. Then the kingdom of God would appear in its full glory.

19:12-13 This parable is similar to the one in Matt. 25:14-30 in some respects, but different enough that it was almost certainly told at a time distinct from the Matthew account. Jesus told the story to emphasize that He must go away in order to receive full authority (see Matt. 28:18). Only after this would He return in the fullness of His glory and kingdom. The word translated pounds was a mina, equivalent to 100 day's wages for an ordinary worker. The duration of absence was left open. This fits with the nearly 2,000 years that have elapsed since Jesus ascended to heaven (24:50-53).

19:15-19 Three of the servants were questioned about how much they had earned while the new king was gone. The first two had multiplied his investment and were granted wider authority. Both servants are examples of the principle of verse 26: "unto every one which hath shall be given."

19:20-25 The third slave hid his mina in a piece of cloth because he feared his lord. It is also possible that he hoped the king would not return, in which case the money would become his. The master did not accept his excuses, saying that even the small interest earned in a bank account would have been more useful. That the wicked servant had to hand over his mina to the one who had 10 minas demonstrates the principle of verse 26: "from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away."

19:26-27 There is great reward for faithfulness to the Lord, but poor stewardship is punished by great loss. Those who do not want the Lord to reign over their lives will be severely punished (cp. v. 14). Slay them probably refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70.

19:28-44 These verses describe Jesus' "triumphal entry" into Jerusalem. Though He was not accepted as Messiah by most Jews, His entry was nevertheless "triumphant" insomuch as (1) the palm branches (John 12:13) that were waved and placed on the ground symbolized royalty and victory, and (2) His entry into Jerusalem represented the fulfillment of OT prophecy (Zech. 9:9) and the triumph of God's plan of redemption.

19:28 Over the course of the 17 miles from Jericho (see note at v v. 1-2) to Jerusalem, the elevation rises about 3,300 feet. Thus, to travel that road was ascending at the average rate of almost 200 feet per mile.

19:29 Bethphage and Bethany were small villages near the Jericho road. Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha (John 11:1), was only two miles east of Jerusalem, just over the mount of Olives, a ridge across the Kidron valley from the temple in Jerusalem. The two . . . disciples are not named in any of the Gospels.

19:30-34 Religious or political leaders in that time often borrowed property (a colt) for a short time, as here. Matthew 21:7 says that the mother donkey was also commandeered. This action fulfilled the prophecy of Zech. 9:9.

19:35-36 Spreading clothes where a person sat or walked was a way to honor special dignitaries, as was done for Jehu when he was acclaimed king of Israel (2 Kings 9:13).

19:37-38 The crowd of disciples praised God for the mighty works that they had seen. The Gospel of John reports that raising Lazarus from the dead had recently occurred in Bethany, near the beginning point of the triumphal entry (John 11:1-44). The crowd was shouting Ps. 118:26, which is messianic. In addition, they added the word King to their recitation of the OT Scripture, showing that they believed Jesus was the Messiah.

19:39-40 The Pharisees asked Jesus to rebuke His disciples because they understood that the repetition of Ps. 118:26 was a confession that Jesus was both Messiah and rightful king of Israel. Jesus replied that, even if His disciples were to keep silent, God would make the truth known some other way, even if it took a miracle.

19:41-44 Jesus wept before Lazarus's tomb (John 11:35), and here He wept at the thought of His rejection by the city of Jerusalem. Genuine, lasting peace with God comes through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). The Jews enjoyed a temporal though imperfect peace under Roman rule, but such a peace cannot be secured forever, as the destructive events of a.d. 70 proved. Due to their unbelief, many Jews did not open their eyes to see Christ as Messiah (2 Cor. 4:4) or recognize His coming as the time (Gk kairos; "opportune time") of God's visitation and offer of salvation.

19:45-46 The court of the Gentiles in the temple was where sacrificial animals were sold for outrageously high prices. According to Isa. 56:7, the temple was to be a house of prayer. The other quote (a den of thieves) is from Jer. 7:11, which reflects a time when the corruption of the nation and its religious system was about to be judged by God in the Babylonian captivity. Now, as Jesus beheld the corruption of the temple and the opposition arrayed against Him, the nation faced an even greater season of judgment.

19:47-48 The religious leaders of Israel were increasingly desperate to get rid of Jesus, but they were hesitant to act because Jesus had gained considerable popularity among the masses.

20:1-2 The parallel account in Mark 11:19-20,27-33 indicates this took place on Tuesday of Passion Week. Chief priests . . . scribes, and elders were part of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin (see note at 22:66). They questioned Jesus' authority for throwing the merchants out of the temple complex (19:45) because such an act was a direct attack on the heart of Jewish religion. To their mind, none but a blasphemer would dare do such a thing. Thus they sought to discredit Jesus in the eyes of the people gathered for Passover (see note at 19:47-48).

20:3-8 Jesus turned the attention back on His questioners. He asked them about the authority of John the Baptist's baptism. That placed them in a "no-win" situation, putting an end to the confrontation.

20:9-12 The vineyard was a symbol of Israel (Isa. 5:7), and its owner was God. The husbandmen stood for the people of Israel, notably its religious leaders. The successive slaves who suffered mistreatment from the tenants stood for the OT prophets.

20:13-18 My beloved son stands for Jesus (see note at 3:21-22). The Jewish leaders killed Him to forcefully and finally reject Him as Messiah and heir to David's throne. The others are the Gentiles being added to God's plan for His new covenant people, the church. This is one of Luke's major focuses in his next book, the Acts of the Apostles. The people in the temple area who were listening to Jesus (v v. 1,9) could not imagine God doing such a thing. In this quote from Ps. 118:22, Jesus is the cornerstone (see Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:7). The builders are undoubtedly Israel's religious leaders (v v. 1,19).

20:19-21 The religious leaders understood that Jesus' preceding parable referred to them, and so they wanted to get rid of Him immediately. But in order not to anger the people, they sought to trap Him through a question that would allow them to turn Him over to the Roman authorities. So, while attempting to sound pious and respectful, they asked for Jesus' view on one of the most divisive issues of the day—the Roman poll tax.

20:22-26 The religious leaders thought they had found the perfect way to trap Jesus, no matter how He answered. If He said it was lawful to pay the poll tax to Caesar, it would turn the Jewish people against Him. If He said it was not lawful, it would provide grounds for the Romans to arrest Him for treason. But Jesus did not fall into their trap. By asking for a denarius, the specific coin used to pay the poll tax, Jesus demonstrated that the religious leaders themselves found it necessary to cooperate with the ruling Roman government. Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's was a proper recognition of the legitimate role of human government in God's plan (Rom. 13:1-7). To render unto God the things which be God's does not divide life into secular and sacred, which would imply that God is indifferent about some aspects of human existence. Rather, Jesus' statement demonstrates that all facets of life have reference to God, including the need to submit to governmental rule. This answer amazed the scribes and chief priests (v. 26), thwarting their efforts to catch Jesus in a self-condemning statement.

20:27-33 Another group among the religious leaders attempted to trap Jesus. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection from the dead because they didn't see it in the Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy). They asked Jesus a question that was designed to discredit the idea of resurrection by reducing it to absurdity. They referred to the law of levirate marriage in Deut. 25:5. The Sadducees mistakenly assumed that life after the resurrection of the body would include the same basic structures as earthly life.

20:34-36 Jesus answered that marriage is confined to this world. Those accounted worthy are those who place faith in Christ, the only means by which anyone can be accepted by God (Rom. 5:1; Gal. 2:16). In heaven we will be like angels, who enjoy many meaningful relationships but do not marry or reproduce. After the resurrection, the human life cycle (birth, marriage, reproduction, death) is forever changed.

20:37-40 Jesus quoted Exod. 3:1-6 to draw in the Sadducees, who revered the books of Moses. Jesus' logic is as follows: God could identify Himself to Moses as the God of Abraham . . . Isaac, and Jacob only if they were still living in Moses' day. Since these men had died many years previously, there must be an afterlife. The religious leaders no longer dared to bait Jesus after this because He had spoken well and made them look foolish.

20:41-44 Jesus then asked His own difficult theological question: how could the Christ (Messiah) be both David's son and David's divine Lord? Though not given here, the answer is that Jesus, the Messiah, was both fully God (Lord) and fully human (Son of David).

20:45-47 The long robes of the scribes were of white linen and had a decorative fringe. The highest seats were in front, where a person could be seen by everyone in attendance at the synagogue. Some scribes apparently defrauded helpless widows of their homes and their limited resources. Matthew 23:1-36 is an extended parallel passage describing the sins for which the scribes and Pharisees would be judged by God.

21:1-4 There were 13 coffers shaped like inverted trumpets in the court of women in the temple and a treasury room nearby where supplicants could deposit their offerings. Tiny copper coins called mites (Gk lepta) were the smallest Jewish currency at that time. Jesus commended the widow for giving sacrificially.

21:5 Herod the Great began renovating the temple in 20 b.c. The work was completed in a.d. 63, some 30 years after Jesus' crucifixion. Some of the stones used for the foundation were 40 feet long. Others were overlaid with gold.

21:6 In a.d. 70, the Roman armies fulfilled this prophecy by leveling the temple and the city of Jerusalem. The huge stones of the temple were toppled into lower areas surrounding the complex.

21:7 The parallel passages in Matt. 24 and Mark 13 focus primarily on the end of the age, while Luke is concerned mostly about the near-term destruction of the temple (these things). But verses 25-28 do speak of the second coming of Christ. The events leading to the destruction of the temple in a.d. 70 foreshadow the later time that leads up to Jesus' return.

21:8-10 The appearance of false messiahs and date-setting schemes, as well as widespread wars, will continue throughout the present age. However, these things must occur and are part of an expected delay before the end of the age.

21:11 Earthquakes . . . famines, and pestilences of varied intensity will occur through history all the way to the end of the age. Great signs . . . from heaven probably refer to such cosmic phenomena as that prophesied in Joel 2:28-32 and fulfilled in Rev. 6:13-14.

21:12-15 These verses return to discussion of the immediate circumstances of the apostles and their co-laborers in the gospel. Persecution by Jews (the synagogues) and Gentiles (kings and rulers) will lead to opportunities of testimony for Christ (Acts 4; 7; 22-24; 26). Jesus repeats His promise from 12:11-12.

21:16-19 When troubles came upon them after Jesus' death, the disciples would draw comfort from their recollection of Jesus' forewarning that they would be hated and even betrayed by those closest to them. Though they might physically be put to death, they were assured of spiritual security. Patience (Gk hupomone; "endurance, steadfastness") is not to be understood to mean that we earn salvation by our efforts to persevere. Rather, perseverance is required of every true believer in Jesus Christ. Ultimately the strength to endure is supplied by God.

21:20-22 The words Jerusalem and desolation indicate that this is the point where the questions in verse 7 are answered. Being surrounded by armies is the "sign" that the temple and the city are about to be destroyed. It would be imperative that its inhabitants and those in the surrounding areas (Judaea) flee for their lives because the siege of the city was part of God's planned vengeance (Gk ekdikesis; "rendering of justice, retribution") against Jerusalem.

21:23-24 Matthew 24:21 uses the phrase "great tribulation," taken from Dan. 12:1, to refer to the intensity of the suffering during this time of judgment. Luke called it great distress (Gk anagke; "trouble"). Wrath is God's anger against sin expressed as righteous judgment. The survivors of the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 were spread all over the known world, even more extensively than the Diaspora of the Babylonian exile hundreds of years earlier. From 70 until the emergence of the modern state of Israel in the mid-twentieth century, Jerusalem was controlled by Gentiles. The times of the Gentiles refers to the current opportune time (Gk kairoi) in which Gentile nations embrace the gospel. Meanwhile, Israel is spiritually hardened and will remain so until near the end (Rom. 11:25-26).

21:25-26 Cosmic signs, probably referring to Joel 2:28,31, were alluded to earlier (Luke 21:11). These will cause great anxiety among the world population.

21:27 The second coming of Christ is described in words that echo the prophecy of Dan. 7:13. This passage is also cited in relation to Christ's return in Rev. 1:7.

21:28-31 Instead of cowering in the face of these signs, believers should be encouraged because they indicate that the divine plan for redemption is being completed and the culmination of the kingdom of God is near. It is like watching trees sprouting leaves in the spring and knowing that summer is at hand.

21:32-33 This generation probably refers to those who will be alive when the various phenomena described by Jesus begin to take place in rapid succession. Since "generation" (Gk genea) occasionally means "family" or "posterity," some believe that it refers specifically to the people of Israel. On heaven and earth . . . but my words, see Matt. 5:17-18.

21:34-36 That day refers to the time of Christ's return. Those focused on the pleasures or worries of this life will be caught off guard when Christ comes back. The proper outlook is prayerful alertness (18:8), which will prepare the believer to stand and not be ashamed before the Son of man at His return (see 1 John 2:28).

21:37-38 In the day time . . . at night refers to the schedule that Jesus kept during each day of Passion Week. The mention of the mount of Olives previews the incident in which He was betrayed and arrested (22:39,47-54).

22:1 By NT times, the feast of unleavened bread and Passover had come to be almost interchangeable ideas. For the Jews, Passover was a meal commemorating the night the angel of death "passed over" those Jewish homes in Egypt whose doorposts were covered by the blood of a Passover lamb (Exod. 12:1-14; Lev. 23:5). "Unleavened bread" was a week-long feast immediately following Passover that commemorated the exodus (Exod. 12:14-20; Lev. 23:6-8). These feasts were celebrated during our months of March or April.

22:2-6 The religious leaders feared Jesus' popularity among the people. Judas, motivated by Satanic influence and money, agreed to betray Jesus.

22:7 All leaven, or yeast, was excluded from Jewish households from the beginning of the week when passover would be followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. In that sense, the day when the Passover lamb was killed was called the day of unleavened bread. The lambs were sacrificed from mid afternoon to late afternoon in the court of the priests at the temple complex. This was on Thursday of Passion Week.

22:8-12 The effect of Jesus' words here is the same as when He sent two disciples for the donkey on which He rode during the triumphal entry (see note at 19:30-34). God had the details worked out in advance. A man carrying a pitcher of water would have been a strange sight since that chore was typically performed by women. Many homes in Jerusalem had an upstairs guestchamber with an outside entrance that could be rented to pilgrims observing a feast in the city. The wording suggests that the owner of this room knew Jesus or was even a disciple.

22:14 The Passover meal began at sundown. Participants reclined on their sides on low couches, leaning over the low table.

22:15-18 Jesus implied that the disciples should interpret the events of the next few days in light of passover imagery. The cup here could have been the first or second cup of the traditional Jewish Passover ritual.

22:19 To institute a new memorial meal (the Lord's Supper), Jesus chose the unleavened bread of the Passover meal to represent His physical body, which would be broken on the cross much as bread was broken apart and distributed during the meal. His death would be offered as a substitute for sinners, all of whom deserve to die for their sins.

22:20 The new memorial meal also lent fresh meaning to the cup after supper (probably the third of four cups in the Passover ritual). The cup was reinterpreted to refer to the blood of Christ, shed as a payment for sins by Jesus, the ultimate Lamb of God (John 1:29). The mention of the new testament related to Christ's shed blood means that the prophesied new covenant (Jer. 31:31-34) would be ratified by Jesus' death on the cross.

22:21-22 Judas was guilty for betraying Jesus (v v. 3-6), yet it remains the case that his actions were determined (planned, ordained) by God as part of the plan that would culminate in Jesus' crucifixion (Acts 2:23).

22:23-24 Luke is tenacious and honest about the immaturity of the disciples. After so great a spiritual experience as the Passover meal, conducted by the Lord Himself, they argued over who was greatest among them. Had they misunderstood everything?

22:25-27 The wording in these verses is significantly different than that in Matt. 20:25-28, suggesting that the apostles argued about greatness more than once. Greatness in the world is based on power and public recognition, but Christ taught that spiritual greatness requires humility and self-sacrifice. Jesus is our example because He came among us as he that serveth.

22:28-30 Because the apostles stood by Jesus in His trials (i.e., His troubles generally, not the trials He would soon face before Roman and Jewish authorities), they would be rewarded by the rights and privileges of leadership in the coming kingdom, including close fellowship with the King and rulership over eschatological Israel (Matt. 19:28).

22:31-34 In these verses Jesus addressed Simon Peter as the leader of the apostles and their spokesman. The plural you indicates Satan wanted to sift all the apostles like wheat, a rough action that symbolizes tempting them to spiritual ruin. Peter protested that nothing would cause him to deny Jesus, but Jesus knew better. Jesus also knew that Peter's denial would be temporary, and that he would play a significant role in church history.

22:35-38 On When I sent you, see notes at 9:1-2 and 9:3-5. Because of the rejection they would face, Jesus emphasized that the apostles must prepare to take care of their own needs (purse and scrip) and protect themselves physically (sword). Jesus' call for a sword was likely only figurative, but the apostles responded as if it were literal. Jesus cut off the conversation by saying, "enough!"

22:39-41 Throughout Passion Week, Jesus and the apostles spent the nights on the mount of Olives (21:37). John 18:1 says the location of this incident was a garden and Matt. 26:36 calls the place Gethsemane. On this occasion, Jesus instructed the apostles to linger in prayer so they would not be tempted by the devil and so their faith would not fail (Luke 22:32). Jesus then met the Father in prayer in order to seek strength in a time of deep suffering.

22:42 This cup refers to Jesus' upcoming judicial trials and execution on the cross (Matt. 20:22-23). Jesus addressed God as Father, just as He had instructed His disciples to do (see note at 11:1-4). Jesus, fully aware of the suffering that awaited Him, struggled with going to the cross. He resolved His struggle in favor of doing God's will, which was always His focus (John 6:38).

22:43-44 Though God the Father would not allow Jesus to bypass the upcoming suffering (v. 42), He did send an angel to minister to Him. However, this did not eliminate Jesus' agony. As He prayed, Jesus' sweat poured off His body as if He were bleeding. Some believe Luke is describing a condition called hematidrosis, in which sweat and blood mingle in extreme cases of anxiety.

22:45-46 Human physical weakness (hunger, fatigue, etc.) can lead to spiritual weakness and temptation (see note at v v. 39-41).

22:47-48 Knowing exactly where Jesus would be spending the night (see note at 21:37-38), Judas Iscariot led a group of Jesus' enemies to arrest Him. A kiss on the cheek was a common greeting between friends and family. Thus Judas used his intimacy with Jesus and His disciples as a platform for betraying the Son of man.

22:49-51 The apostles' earlier misunderstanding about wielding the sword (see note at v v. 35-38) now came to a climax. John 18:10 discloses that it was Peter who cut off the ear of the high priest's slave. Jesus immediately healed the man's ear, averting disaster if the mob had attacked Peter.

22:52-53 That Jesus was viewed as a thief fulfilled Isa. 53:12. Jesus' prior awareness of the time (this is your hour) and place (not in the temple) of His arrest indicates that everything was according to God's design even though the Jewish leaders were in league with the power of darkness (Satan and the demons) in carrying out the arrest.

22:54 John 18:13 says that Jesus was first taken to the house of Annas, a former high priest who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the current high priest (see note at 3:2-3). Most of the apostles fled from Gethsemane, though Peter circled back, careful to keep a safe distance in the darkness. John 18:15 indicates that "another disciple" (probably the apostle John) also followed.

22:55-62 In a period of only slightly over an hour, Peter disowned three years of discipleship. Jesus had very recently predicted this (see note at v v. 31-34), and when a rooster crowed after Peter's denials, Jesus turned, and looked at him. Immediately Peter remembered Jesus' prophecy and wept tears of shame and regret. Since Jesus was inside the high priest's house (v. 54), there must have been an open window or door through which He could look into the courtyard and catch Peter's eye.

22:66 By rule it had to be daylight outside for the ruling council of the Jews (Sanhedrin) to hold a trial in which they decided on the death penalty (which could only be carried out by the Roman government). However, in several other respects the trial was illegal: (1) No trial could be held on the morning of a feast day (i.e., Passover), (2) there was no formal defense offered for Jesus, and (3) the verdict was reached in one day, not the two days required for capital offenses.

22:67-69 In a tactical move that may have been designed to keep Rome from thinking He intended to ascend Israel's vacant throne, Jesus did not give a direct answer to the question of whether He was the Christ. Since He knew He could not expect fair treatment from the members of the Sanhedrin, Jesus identified Himself as the Son of man who would sit as judge over them in a much higher court in heaven.

22:70-71 The Sanhedrin understood Jesus' previous claim to be Messiah, but they wanted to catch Him in what they thought was a more clear-cut blasphemy: the claim that He was the Son of God. Jesus' response seems vague to modern readers, but those present understood it as a clear confession.

23:1 On Pontius Pilate, see note at 3:1. Pilate's normal residence was in Caesarea Maritima, but he came to Jerusalem during the Jewish feasts to keep an eye on things. Since Jesus was crucified along with two criminals (v v. 32-33), a punishment that only the Romans could render, it seems that a couple of executions were already scheduled even before Jesus' sentencing. Thus Pilate came to town planning to execute criminals, but he left town having executed an innocent man.

23:2-4 The three charges the Jews brought against Jesus were fabrications. It was true that huge crowds had flocked to hear Jesus speak, but His teachings were not aimed at perverting Israel. The claim that He was opposing tribute to Caesar was an outright lie (see note at 20:22-26). Jesus was the Christ, but He carefully avoided giving the impression that He meant to topple Rome or ascend the throne as King of Israel. Pilate had undoubtedly heard about Jesus, and he saw right through the Sanhedrin's "rush to judgment."

23:5-7 When Pilate heard that Jesus was from Galilee, he saw a convenient way to excuse himself from the Sanhedrin's headhunt. He turned Jesus over to the proper jurisdiction, that of Herod Antipas, the ruler over Galilee (see note at 3:1). Like Pilate, Herod was in Jerusalem for the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread.

23:8-11 Herod Antipas had been anxious to meet Jesus (9:7-9), and the Pharisees had claimed that Herod wanted to kill Jesus (13:31). Jesus' silence before Herod fulfilled the prophecy in Isa. 53:7. In spite of the serious accusations of the Sanhedrin, Herod Antipas simply made sport of Jesus and sent Him back to Pilate for final legal disposition. He dressed Jesus in a gorgeous robe in order to ridicule Him as a fake king and irritate the Sanhedrin since they charged Him with claiming to be king (see note at v v. 2-4).

23:12-15 Herod Antipas and Pontius Pilate became friends because they both made the same assessment of Jesus' innocence on these charges (v v. 14-15). Apparently they also shared the same low opinion of the Jewish Sanhedrin for pursuing a death sentence against Jesus.

23:16-19 In order to placate the Sanhedrin, Pilate was willing to have Jesus severely whipped and set free. It was his custom to release a prisoner in honor of Passover (John 18:39). However, the crowd demanded that a dangerous criminal named Barabbas be released instead.

23:20-25 Pilate tried two more times to release Jesus, finding no valid basis for the death penalty. But he was repeatedly shouted down by a chorus of crucify him. Finally, Pilate caved in to the crowd's demand, releasing Barabbas and handing Jesus over to be executed.

23:26 Simon of Cyrene was staying outside Jerusalem and coming out of the country to worship each day during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus was unable to carry the cross any farther after His earlier beating (22:63), so it was placed on Simon's back. Simon may have been part of the synagogue of the Cyrenians mentioned in Acts 6:9. Mark 15:21 mentions the names of Simon's sons (Rom. 16:13 may refer to one of those sons).

23:27-31 Jesus told the crowds who lamented His unjust crucifixion that they should weep for their own families because of the future destruction of Jerusalem. It would be preferable not to have children in such awful times. Jesus then cited Hos. 10:8, where it is said that people will request landslides to hide them from the military onslaught. If things are this bad for an innocent man in a time of peace (a green tree), they will be much worse for those who deserve judgment during a time of war (the dry).

23:32-33 Being executed between two criminals fulfilled the prophecy of Isa. 53:12, as well as Jesus' words in Luke 22:37. The place where Jesus was crucified was called The Skull. In Aramaic, the name is Golgotha. The Latin equivalent is Calvary.

23:34 Jesus forgave His executioners because they acted in ignorance of who He really was. The soldiers fulfilled Ps. 22:18.

23:35-39 Four different groups (the people in general, the rulers, the soldiers, and one of the criminals) scoffed at Jesus and challenged Him to save Himself. None of them believed that Jesus was Christ . . . the king of the Jews, even though the official inscription above His head on the cross charged Him with posing as such.

23:40-43 In the midst of this display of unbelief and mockery, the other criminal came to understand the difference between his own guilt and Jesus' innocence. He also realized that Jesus was the Messiah and asked to take part in His coming kingdom. Jesus assured him that, after death, he would immediately be reunited with Him in paradise (eternal life beyond the grave; see 2 Cor. 12:4).

23:44-45 Since the day began at daybreak, the sixth hour was about noon. The three hours of darkness at midday was a sign of divine judgment against sin (which Jesus became on the cross) and the sinners who unjustly executed the Son of God. The torn veil symbolized open access to God, made possible by the death of Christ (see note at 22:20).

23:46 Jesus was placed on the cross at about 9:00 a.m. (Mark 15:25) and died after only six hours—an unusually short time. Crucifixion victims sometimes lingered for two or three days before death occurred.

23:47 The centurion observed that Jesus was truly righteous (not a criminal in any respect). He also acknowledged that Jesus is the Son of God (Matt. 27:54; Mark 15:39).

23:48-49 Smiting their breasts could be a sign of grief, though in 18:13 it appears to reflect contrition before the Lord. Significantly, the women disciples from Galilee, who had generously supported Jesus' ministry financially (see note at 8:1-3), are spotlighted among those who were watching Him die on the cross. They stuck with Him even after the male disciples abandoned Him.

23:50-53 Even though Joseph of Arimathaea was a member of the Sanhedrin council, he had disagreed with their decision to execute Jesus (22:71–23:1). He was also a secret disciple of Jesus (John 19:38). Jesus was laid in the sepulchre of the wealthy Joseph instead of the shallow common grave reserved for criminals. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isa. 53:9. Matthew (27:65-66) stated that soldiers were assigned to guard Jesus' tomb and that the stone rolled in front of the tomb was stamped with the Roman seal of authority.

23:54-56 Preparation day (from Thursday sundown to Friday sundown) was the day before the sabbath. Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus did much to prepare Jesus' body for burial (John 19:39-40), but the women disciples from Galilee planned to finish the task. They had to wait for the sabbath to pass before they could carry out their plan.

24:1 The first day of the week was Sunday. It was so early in the morning that it was still dark (John 20:1) when the women arrived at Jesus' tomb to anoint His body.

24:2 On their way to the sepulchre, the women pondered the difficulty the stone would present (Mark 16:3). However, when they arrived, the stone had been moved by an earthquake (Matt. 28:2).

24:3-8 Jesus' body was nowhere to be found, and the women had no answer for why it was missing. The two men who suddenly appeared and terrified them were angels (v. 23; John 20:12). The angels reminded the women that Jesus had predicted the resurrection. The women then remembered his words. Now they were better prepared to understand and believe the radical things Jesus had said.

24:9-12 In Jesus' day women were not considered to be credible witnesses. This is why the eleven (the apostles who remained after Judas' act of betrayal) believed them not and viewed it as idle tales. However, Peter was curious enough to run to the tomb and look for himself. When he saw only the linen clothes in which Jesus had been wrapped (23:53), he was amazed, but still skeptical.

24:13-14 Of these two disciples was named Cleopas (v. 18). He was possibly the husband of one of the women disciples who watched Jesus die on the cross (John 19:25). They had heard about the women's report and Peter's experience at the empty tomb (Luke 24:19-24) before leaving Jerusalem on the seven-mile journey.

24:15-16 Reasoned is from the Greek word suzeteo, "to argue, question." There was no agreement among Jesus' disciples about what had occurred and why. Like Peter at the tomb, many were amazed and yet unconvinced. It is not known how God prevented the two disciples from recognizing Jesus at this point, but He eventually opened their eyes (v. 31).

24:18 The men were shocked that the stranger (Jesus) seemed to know nothing about what had happened the past few days, though it was the talk of all Jerusalem.

24:19-20 The description of Jesus by the two disciples is short on both insight and faith. Jesus is referred to in relation to His hometown and as a prophet and miracle worker, but not as the Son of God. In addition, nothing is said about the unjust nature of Jesus' betrayal, trials, and crucifixion—just that the rulers got Him crucified. These disciples had not fully grasped Jesus' identity, nor had they understood the divine necessity of His death.

24:21-24 Jesus' death had dashed these men's hopes that He was the Messiah, but the reports from the tomb that morning astonished them and made them wonder what was going on. The reports said: (1) the women disciples didn't find Jesus' body at the tomb, (2) the women had seen a vision of angels proclaiming His resurrection, and (3) some male disciples had verified that the tomb was indeed empty.

24:25-29 The stranger (Jesus) rebuked the two disciples for not believing the OT prophecies about Christ, particularly about His suffering and following glory. Then, during the remainder of the walk to Emmaus, Jesus worked His way through all the major messianic prophecies in the Hebrew Bible (Moses and all the prophets refers to the entire OT), carefully interpreting their meaning to His hearers. Then, when Jesus gave the impression that He was not going to stop in Emmaus, they invited Him to spend the night with them, probably so they could hear more.

24:30-33 During the evening meal, Jesus blessed and broke the bread. At that point, the two disciples were allowed to recognize Jesus, but He immediately vanished from sight. Their first thought was to recall the things He had taught them as they walked along the road to Emmaus. With newfound fervency, they ventured to Jerusalem through the darkness of night to meet with the apostles and tell them about their experience.

24:34-35 Unknown to the two disciples, the risen Christ had appeared to Simon Peter (an appearance mentioned elsewhere only in 1 Cor. 15:5) some time earlier in the day. This was a decisive event for Peter and the church because he would lead the apostles and the early church in the years to come. Now, in a room full of eager listeners, these men told about their experiences on the road to Emmaus and the meal that followed. It had been a day of many wonders, but an even greater wonder would soon visit them all.

24:36-37 It is ironic that the group of disciples were terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost when the risen Christ suddenly appeared in their midst. After all, they had been rejoicing about His resurrection (v. 34) and swapping stories about His several appearances that day. But their fear was understandable since Jesus appeared suddenly in the middle of a crowd in what was surely a locked room. Peace be unto you was a traditional Jewish greeting.

24:38-40 Jesus calmed the fears and doubts of His disciples with evidence of His resurrection body. In His hands and feet the nail scars were clearly visible. The crowd of disciples could touch Him and verify that He had a human body and that He was not a spirit.

24:41-43 It is understandable that some were slow to believe. This was a highly unusual and unexpected event. Realizing their doubts, Jesus offered an additional piece of evidence. He showed them that He could eat food, something no ghost could do.

24:44-45 The law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms represent the three major divisions of the Hebrew Bible. Jesus now did for the wider group of disciples essentially what He had already done for the two on the road to Emmaus: He explained the Scriptures (see note at v v. 25-29).

24:46-49 OT passages that clearly prophesy the suffering of Christ are Ps. 22 and Isa. 53. A key OT passage for the Messiah's resurrection, cited several times in the NT, is Ps. 16:10. Significant OT passages that Jesus may have had in mind about repentance being preached to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem are Isa. 2:1-4 and 49:6. Luke 24:47 is Luke's version of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21-22). Luke echoed these verses in Acts 1:4-8 when he skillfully intertwined the conclusion of his first volume with the beginning of his second volume.

24:50-51 Bethany was located just over the mount of Olives, about two miles from Jerusalem. Acts 1:12 specifies that the ascension of Christ occurred at the mount of Olives.

24:52-53 As Jesus had requested (v. 49), the disciples returned to Jerusalem and stayed there until the events of the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Although at least some disciples were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God during that time and later (Acts 2:46; 3:1), it should not be assumed that all of them were always there. Acts 1:13-14 also speaks of the apostles, some of the women disciples, and Jesus' brothers (the sons of Joseph and Mary) being continually united in prayer in an upper room in Jerusalem. Such devotion to prayer was a fitting prelude and precondition to the wonderful things God would do through Christ's earliest messengers. Christ's church was set to explode onto the scene as a beacon of light and hope in a spiritually dark world.

Luke Cross-References

a 1:2 Heb. 2:3; 1 Pet. 5:1; 2 Pet. 5,16; 1 John 1:1

bMark 1:1; John 15:27

c 1:3 Acts 15:19,25,28; 1 Cor. 7:40

dActs 11:4

eActs 1:1

f 1:4 John 20:31

g 1:5 Matt. 2:1

h1 Chron. 24:10,19; Neh. 12:4,17

i 1:6 Gen. 7:1; 17:1; 1 Kings 9:4; 2 Kings 20:3; Job 1:1; Acts 23:1; 24:16; Php. 3:6

j 1:8 1 Chron. 24:19; 2 Chron. 8:14; 31:2

k 1:9 Exod. 30:7,8; 1 Sam. 2:28; 1 Chron. 23:13; 2 Chron. 29:11

l 1:10 Lev. 16:17; Rev. 8:3-4

m 1:11 Exod. 30:1

n 1:12 ver. 29; ch. 2:9; Judg. 6:22; 13:22; Dan. 10:8; Acts 10:4; Rev. 1:17

o 1:13 ver. 60,63

p 1:14 ver. 58

q 1:15 ch. 7:33; Num. 6:3; Judg. 13:4

a 1:15 Jer. 1:5; Gal. 1:15

b 1:16 Mal. 4:5-6

c 1:17 Mal. 4:5; Matt. 11:14; Mark 9:12

d 1:18 Gen. 17:17

e 1:19 Dan. 8:16; 9:21-23; Matt. 18:10; Heb. 1:14

f 1:20 Ezek. 3:26; 24:27

g 1:23 See 2 Kings 11:5; 1 Chron. 9:25

h 1:25 Gen. 30:23; Isa. 4:1; 54:1,4

i 1:27 ch. 2:4-5; Matt. 1:18

j 1:28 Dan. 9:23; 10:19

kJudg. 6:12

l 1:29 ver. 12

m 1:31 Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:21

nch. 2:21

o 1:32 Mark 5:7

p2 Sam. 7:11-12; Isa. 9:6-7; 16:5; Jer. 23:5; Ps. 132:11; Rev. 3:7

q 1:33 Dan. 2:44; 7:14,27; Obad. 21; Mic. 4:7; John 12:34; Heb. 1:8

a 1:35 Matt. 1:20

bMatt. 14:33; 26:63-64; Mark 1:1; John 1:34; 20:31; Acts 8:37; Rom. 1:4

c 1:37 ch. 18:27; Gen. 18:14; Jer. 32:17; Zech. 8:6; Matt. 19:26; Mark 10:27; Rom. 4:21

d 1:39 Josh. 21:9-11

e 1:42 ver. 28; Judg. 5:24

f 1:46 1 Sam. 2:1; Ps. 34:2-3; 35:9; Hab. 3:18

g 1:48 1 Sam. 1:11; Ps. 138:6

hch. 11:27; Mal. 3:12

i 1:49 Ps. 71:19; 126:2-3

jPs. 111:9

k 1:50 Gen. 17:7; Exod. 20:6; Ps. 103:17-18

l 1:51 Ps. 98:1; 118:15; Isa. 40:10; 51:9; 52:10

mPs. 33:10; 1 Pet. 5:5

n 1:52 1 Sam. 2:6, etc.; Job 5:11; Ps. 113:6

o 1:53 1 Sam. 2:5; Ps. 34:10

p 1:54 Ps. 98:3; Jer. 31:3,20

a 1:55 Gen. 17:19; Ps. 132:11; Rom. 11:28; Gal. 3:16

b 1:58 ver. 14

c 1:59 Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3

d 1:60 ver. 13

a 1:63 ver. 13

b 1:64 ver. 20

c 1:65 ver. 39

d 1:66 ch. 2:19,51

eGen. 39:2; Ps. 80:17; 89:21; Acts 11:21

f 1:67 Joel 2:28

g 1:68 1 Kings 1:48; Ps. 41:13; 72:18; 106:48

hch. 7:16; Exod. 3:16; 4:31; Ps. 111:9

i 1:69 Ps. 132:17

j 1:70 Jer. 23:5-6; 30:10; Dan. 9:24; Acts 3:21; Rom. 1:2

k 1:72 ver. 54; Lev. 26:42; Ps. 98:3; 105:8-9; 106:45; Ezek. 16:60

l 1:73 Gen. 12:3; 17:4; 22:16-17; Heb. 6:13,17

m 1:74 Rom. 6:18,22; Heb. 9:14

n 1:75 Jer. 32:39-40; Eph. 4:24; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 2:12; 1 Pet. 1:15; 2 Pet. 1:4

o 1:76 ver. 17; Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1; 4:5; Matt. 11:10

p 1:77 ch. 3:3; Mark 1:4

q 1:79 Isa. 9:2; 42:7; 49:9; Matt. 4:16; Acts 26:18

r 1:80 ch. 2:40

2 Matt. 3:1; 11:7

t 2:2 Acts 5:37

a 2:4 1 Sam. 16:1,4; John 7:42

bch. 1:27; Matt. 1:16

c 2:5 ch. 1:27; Matt. 1:16

d 2:7 Matt. 1:25

e 2:9 ch. 1:12

f 2:10 ver. 31-32; ch. 24:47; Gen. 12:3; Matt. 28:19; Mark 1:15; Col. 1:23

g 2:11 Isa. 9:6

hMatt. 1:21

ich. 1:43; Matt. 1:16; 16:16; Acts 2:36; 10:36; Php. 2:11

j 2:13 Gen. 28:12; 32:1-2; Ps. 103:20-21; 148:2; Dan. 7:10; Heb. 1:14; Rev. 5:11

k 2:14 ch. 19:38; Eph. 1:6; 3:10,21; Rev. 5:13

lch. 1:79; Isa. 57:19; Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:17; Col. 1:20

mJohn 3:16; Eph. 2:4,7; 2 Thess. 2:16; 1 John 4:9-10

n 2:19 ver. 51; ch. 1:66; Gen. 37:11

o 2:21 ch. 1:59; Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3

pch. 1:31; Matt. 1:21,25

q 2:22 Lev. 12:2-4,6

a 2:23 Exod. 13:2; 22:29; 34:19; Num. 3:13; 8:17; 18:15

b 2:24 Lev. 12:2,6,8

c 2:25 ver. 38; Isa. 40:1; Mark 15:43

d 2:26 Ps. 89:48; Heb. 11:5

e 2:27 Matt. 4:1

f 2:29 Gen. 46:30; Php. 1:23

g 2:30 ch. 3:6; Isa. 52:10

h 2:32 Isa. 9:2; 42:6; 49:6; 60:1-3; Matt. 4:16; Acts 13:47; 28:28

i 2:34 Isa. 8:14; Hos. 14:9; Matt. 21:44; Rom. 9:32-33; 1 Cor. 1:23-24; 2 Cor. 2:16; 1 Pet. 2:7-8

jActs 28:22

k 2:35 Ps. 42:10; John 19:34

l 2:37 Acts 26:7; 1 Tim. 5:5

m 2:38 ver. 25; ch. 24:21; Mark 15:43

n 2:40 ver. 52; ch. 1:80

o 2:41 Exod. 23:15,17; 34:23; Deut. 16:1,16

a 2:47 ch. 4:22, 32; Matt. 7:28; Mark 1:22; John 7:15,46

b 2:49 John 2:16

c 2:50 ch. 9:45; 18:34

d 2:51 ver. 19; Dan. 7:28

e 2:52 ver. 40; 1 Sam. 2:26

f 3:2 John 11:49,51; 18:13; Acts 4:6

g 3:3 Matt. 3:1; Mark 1:4

hch. 1:77

i 3:4 Isa. 40:3; Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; John 1:23

j 3:6 ch. 2:10; Ps. 98:2; Isa. 52:10

a 3:7 Matt. 3:7

b 3:9 Matt. 7:19

c 3:10 Acts 2:37

d 3:11 ch. 11:41; 2 Cor. 8:14; James 2:15-16; 1 John 3:17; 4:20

e 3:12 ch. 7:29; Matt. 21:32

f 3:13 ch. 19:8

g 3:14 Exod. 23:1; Lev. 19:11

h 3:16 Matt. 3:11

i 3:17 Mic. 4:12; Matt. 13:30

j 3:19 Matt. 14:3; Mark 6:17

k 3:21 Matt. 3:13; John 1:32

l 3:23 See Num. 4:3,35,39,43,47

a 3:23 Matt. 13:55; John 6:42

b 3:31 Zech. 12:12

c2 Sam. 5:14; 1 Chron. 3:5

d 3:32 Ruth 4:18, etc.; 1 Chron. 2:10, etc.

e 3:34 Gen. 11:24,26

f 3:36 See Gen. 11:12

gGen. 5:6, etc.; 11:10, etc.

h 3:38 Gen. 5:1-2

i 4:1 Matt. 4:1; Mark 1:12

jver. 14; ch. 2:27

k 4:2 Exod. 34:28; 1 Kings 19:8

l 4:4 Deut. 8:3

a 4:6 John 12:31; 14:30; Rev. 13:2,7

b 4:8 Deut. 6:13; 10:20

c 4:9 Matt. 4:5

d 4:10 Ps. 91:11

e 4:12 Deut. 6:16

f 4:13 John 14:30; Heb. 4:15

g 4:14 Matt. 4:12; John 4:43

hver. 1

iActs 10:37

j 4:16 Matt. 2:23; 13:54; Mark 6:1

kActs 13:14; 17:2

l 4:18 Isa. 61:1

a 4:22 ch. 2:47; Ps. 45:2; Matt. 13:54; Mark 6:2

bJohn 6:42

c 4:23 Matt. 4:13; 11:23

dMatt. 13:54; Mark 6:1

e 4:24 Matt. 13:57; Mark 6:4; John 4:44

f 4:25 1 Kings 17:9; 18:1; James 5:17

g 4:27 2 Kings 5:14

h 4:30 John 8:59; 10:39

i 4:31 Matt. 4:13; Mark 1:21

j 4:32 Matt. 6:28-29; Titus 2:15

k 4:33 Mark 1:23

l 4:34 ver. 41

mch. 1:35; Ps. 16:10; Dan. 9:24

n 4:38 Matt. 8:14; Mark 1:29

a 4:40 Matt. 8:16; Mark 1:32

b 4:41 Mark 1:34; 3:11

cver. 34-35; Mark 1:25,34

d 4:42 Mark 1:35

e 4:44 Mark 1:39

f 5:1 Matt. 4:18; Mark 1:16

a 5:4 John 21:6

b 5:8 2 Sam. 6:9; 1 Kings 17:18

c 5:10 Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:17

d 5:11 ch. 18:28; Matt. 4:20; 19:27; Mark 1:18

e 5:12 Matt. 8:2; Mark 1:40

f 5:14 Matt. 8:4

gLev. 14:4,10,21-22

h 5:15 Matt. 4:25; Mark 3:7; John 6:2

i 5:16 Matt. 14:23; Mark 6:46

j 5:18 Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:3

k 5:21 Matt. 9:3; Mark 2:6-7

lPs. 32:5; Isa. 43:25

a 5:27 Matt. 9:9; Mark 2:13-14

b 5:29 Matt. 9:10; Mark 2:15

cch. 15:1

d 5:32 Matt. 9:13; 1 Tim. 1:15

e 5:33 Matt. 9:14; Mark 2:18

f 5:36 Matt. 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22

g 6:1 Matt. 12:1; Mark 2:23

h 6:2 Exod. 20:10

a 6:3 1 Sam. 21:6

b 6:4 Lev. 24:9

c 6:6 Matt. 12:9; Mark 3:1; See ch. 13:14; 14:3; John 9:16

d 6:12 Matt. 14:23

e 6:13 Matt. 10:1

f 6:14 John 1:42

g 6:16 Jude 1

h 6:17 Matt. 4:25; Mark 3:7

a 6:19 Matt. 14:36

bch. 8:46; Mark 5:30

c 6:20 Matt. 5:3; 11:5; James 2:5

d 6:21 Isa. 55:1; 65:13; Matt. 5:6

eIsa. 61:3; Matt. 5:4

f 6:22 Matt. 5:11; 1 Pet. 2:19; 3:14; 4:14

gJohn 16:2

h 6:23 Matt. 5:12; Acts 5:41; Col. 1:24; James 1:2

iActs 7:51

j 6:24 Amos 6:1; James 5:1

kch. 12:21

lch. 16:25; Matt. 6:2,5,16

m 6:25 Isa. 65:13

nProv. 14:13

o 6:26 John 15:19; 1 John 4:5

p 6:27 ver. 35; Exod. 23:4; Prov. 25:2; Matt. 5:44; Rom. 12:20

q 6:28 ch. 23:24; Acts 7:60

r 6:29 Matt. 5:39

s1 Cor. 6:7

t 6:30 Deut. 15:7-8,10; Prov. 21:26; Matt. 5:42

u 6:31 Matt. 7:12

v 6:32 Matt. 5:46

w 6:34 Matt. 5:42

x 6:35 ver. 27

yver. 30; Ps. 37:26

zMatt. 5:45

aa 6:36 Matt. 5:48

ab 6:37 Matt. 7:1

ac 6:38 Prov. 19:17

adPs. 79:12

aeMatt. 7:2; Mark 4:24; James 2:13

af 6:39 Matt. 15:14

ag 6:40 Matt. 10:24; John 13:16; 15:20

a 6:41 Matt. 7:3

b 6:42 See Prov. 18:17

c 6:43 Matt. 7:16-17

d 6:44 Matt. 12:33

e 6:45 Matt. 12:35

fMatt. 12:34

g 6:46 ch. 13:25; Mal. 1:6; Matt. 7:21; 25:11

h 6:47 Matt. 7:24

i 7:1 Matt. 8:5

a 7:14 ch. 8; John 11:43; Acts 9:40; Rom. 4:17

b 7:16 ch. 1:65

cch. 24:19; John 4:19; 6:14; 9:17

dch. 1:68

e 7:18 Matt. 11:2

f 7:22 Matt. 11:5

gIsa. 35:5

hch. 4:18

i 7:24 Matt. 11:7

j 7:27 Mal. 3:1

k 7:29 ch. 3:12; Matt. 3:5

l 7:30 Acts 20:27

m 7:31 Matt. 1:16

n 7:33 ch. 1:15; Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6

a 7:35 Matt. 11:19

b 7:36 Matt. 26:6; Mark 14:3; John 11:2

c 7:39 ch. 15:2

d 7:46 Ps. 23:5

e 7:47 1 Tim. 1:14

f 7:48 Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:5

g 7:49 Matt. 9:3; Mark 2:7

h 7:50 ch. 8:48; 18:42; Matt. 9:22; Mark 5:34; 10:52

i 8:2 Matt. 27:55-56

jMark 16:9

a 8:4 Matt. 13:2; Mark 4:1

b 8:9 Matt. 13:10; Mark 4:10

c 8:10 Isa. 6:9; Mark 4:12

d 8:11 Matt. 13:18; Mark 4:14

e 8:16 ch. 11:33; Matt. 5:15; Mark 4:21

f 8:17 ch. 12:2; Matt. 10:26

g 8:18 ch. 19:26; Matt. 13:12; 25:29

h 8:19 Matt. 12:46; Mark 3:31

i 8:22 Matt. 8:23; Mark 4:35

a 8:26 Matt. 8:28; Mark 5:1

b 8:31 Rev. 20:3

c 8:37 Matt. 8:34

dActs 16:39

e 8:38 Mark 5:18

f 8:41 Matt. 9:18; Mark 5:22

a 8:43 Matt. 9:20

b 8:46 ch. 6:19; Mark 5:30

c 8:49 Mark 5:35

d 8:52 John 11:11,13

e 8:54 ch. 7:14; John 11:43

f 8:56 Matt. 8:4; 9:30; Mark 5:43

g 9:1 Matt. 10:1; Mark 3:13; 6:7

h 9:2 ch. 10:1,9; Matt. 10:7-8; Mark 6:12

i 9:3 ch. 10:4; 22:35; Matt. 10:9; Mark 6:8

j 9:4 Matt. 10:11; Mark 6:10

k 9:5 Matt. 10:14

lActs 13:51

m 9:6 Mark 6:12

n 9:7 Matt. 14:1; Mark 6:14

a 9:9 ch. 23:8

b 9:10 Mark 6:30

cMatt. 14:13

d 9:12 Matt. 14:15; Mark 6:35; John 6:1,5

e 9:18 Matt. 16:13; Mark 8:27

f 9:19 ver. 7-8; Matt. 14:2

g 9:20 Matt. 16:16; John 6:69

h 9:21 Matt. 16:20

i 9:22 Matt. 16:21; 17:22

j 9:23 ch. 14:27; Matt. 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34

a 9:25 Matt. 16:26; Mark 8:36

b 9:26 Matt. 10:33; Mark 8:38; 2 Tim. 2:12

c 9:27 Matt. 16:28; Mark 9:1

d 9:28 Matt. 17:1; Mark 9:2

e 9:32 Dan. 8:18; 10:9

f 9:35 Matt. 3:17

gActs 3:22

h 9:36 Matt. 17:9

i 9:37 Matt. 17:14; Mark 9:14,17

a 9:44 Matt. 17:22

b 9:45 ch. 2:50; Mark 9:32; 18:34

c 9:46 Matt. 18:1; Mark 9:34

d 9:48 Matt. 10:40; 18:5; Mark 9:37; John 12:44; 13:20

eMatt. 23:11-12

f 9:49 Mark 9:38; See Num. 11:28

g 9:50 ch. 11:23; See Matt. 12:30

h 9:51 Mark 16:19; Acts 1:2

i 9:53 John 4:4,9

j 9:54 2 Kings 1:10,12

k 9:56 John 3:17; 12:47

l 9:57 Matt. 8:19

m 9:59 Matt. 8:21

n 9:61 See 1 Kings 19:20

a 10:1 Matt. 10:1; Mark 6:7

b 10:2 Matt. 9:37-38; John 4:35

c2 Thess. 3:1

d 10:3 Matt. 10:16

e 10:4 ch. 9:3; Matt. 10:9-10; Mark 6:8

f2 Kings 4:29

g 10:5 Matt. 10:12

h 10:7 Matt. 10:11

i1 Cor. 10:27

jMatt. 10:10; 1 Cor. 9:4, etc.; 1 Tim. 5:18

k 10:9 ch. 9:2

lver. 11; Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 10:7

m 10:11 ch. 9:5; Matt. 10:14; Acts 13:51; 18:6

n 10:12 Matt. 10:15; Mark 6:11

o 10:13 Matt. 11:21

pEzek. 3:6

q 10:15 Matt. 11:23

rSee Gen. 11:4; Deut. 1:28; Isa. 14:13; Jer. 51:53

sSee Ezek. 26:20; 32:18

t 10:16 Matt. 10:40; Mark 9:37; John 13:20

u1 Thess. 4:8

vJohn 5:23

w 10:17 ver. 1

x 10:18 John 12:31; 16:11; Rev. 9:1; 12:8-9

a 10:19 Mark 16:18; Acts 28:5

b 10:20 Exod. 32:32; Ps. 69:28; Isa. 4:3; Dan. 12:1; Php. 4:3; Heb. 12:23; Rev. 13:8; 20:12; 21:27

c 10:21 Matt. 11:25

d 10:22 Matt. 28:18; John 3:35; 5:27; 17:2

eJohn 1:18; 6:44,46

f 10:23 Matt. 13:16

g 10:24 1 Pet. 1:10

h 10:25 Matt. 19:16; 22:35

a 10:27 Deut. 6:5

bLev. 19:18

c 10:28 Lev. 18:5; Neh. 9:29; Ezek. 20:11,13,21; Rom. 10:5

d 10:29 ch. 16:15

e 10:31 Ps. 38:11

f 10:33 John 4:9

g 10:38 John 11:1; 12:2-3

h 10:39 1 Cor. 7:32, etc.

iLuke 8:35; Acts 22:3

j 10:42 Ps. 27:4

a 11:2 Matt. 6:9

b 11:8 ch. 18:1, etc.

c 11:9 Matt. 7:7; 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 15:7; James 1:6; 1 John 3:22

d 11:11 Matt. 7:9

e 11:14 Matt. 9:32; 12:22

f 11:15 Matt. 9:34; 12:24

g 11:16 Matt. 12:38; 16:1

h 11:17 Matt. 12:25; Mark 3:24

iJohn 2:25

j 11:20 Exod. 8:19

k 11:21 Matt. 12:29; Mark 3:27

a 11:22 Isa. 53:12; Col. 2:15

b 11:23 Matt. 12:30

c 11:24 Matt. 12:43

d 11:26 John 5:14; Heb. 6:4; 10:26; 2 Pet. 2:20

e 11:27 ch. 1:28,48

f 11:28 ch. 8:21; Matt. 7:21; James 1:25

g 11:29 Matt. 12:38-39

h 11:30 Jon. 1:17; 2:10

i 11:31 1 Kings 10:1

j 11:32 Jon. 3:5

k 11:33 ch. 8:16; Matt. 5:15; Mark 4:21

l 11:34 Matt. 6:22

m 11:38 Mark 7:3

n 11:39 Matt. 23:25

oTitus 1:15

p 11:41 ch. 12:33; Isa. 58:7; Dan. 4:27

a 11:42 Matt. 23:23

b 11:43 Matt. 23:6; Mark 12:38-39

c 11:44 Matt. 23:27

dPs. 5:9

e 11:46 Matt. 23:4

f 11:47 Matt. 23:29

g 11:49 Matt. 23:24

h 11:51 Gen. 4:8

i2 Chron. 24:20-21

j 11:52 Matt. 23:13

k 11:54 Mark 12:13

l 12:1 Matt. 16:6; Mark 8:15

mMatt. 16:12

n 12:2 ch. 8:17; Matt.10:26; Mark 4:22

o 12:4 Matt. 10:28; Isa. 51:7-8,12-13; Jer. 1:8

pJohn 15:14-15

a 12:8 Matt. 10:32; Mark 8:38; 2 Tim. 2:12; 1 John 12:23

b 12:10 Matt. 12:31-32; Mark 3:28; 1 John 5:16

c 12:11 ch. 21:14; Matt. 10:19; Mark 13:11

d 12:14 John 18:36

e 12:15 1 Tim. 6:7, etc.

f 12:19 Eccl. 11:9; 1 Cor. 15:32; James 5:5

g 12:20 Job 20:22; 27:8; Ps. 52:7; James 4:14

hPs. 39:6; Jer. 17:11

i 12:21 ver. 33; Matt. 6:20; 1 Tim. 6:18-19; James 2:5

j 12:22 Matt. 6:25

k 12:24 Job 38:41; Ps. 147:9

a 12:31 Matt. 6:33

b 12:32 Matt. 11:25-26

c 12:33 Matt. 19:21; Acts 2:45; 4:34

dch. 16:9; Matt. 6:20; 1 Tim. 6:19

e 12:35 Eph. 6:14; 1 Pet. 1:13

fMatt. 25:1, etc.

g 12:37 Matt. 24:46

h 12:39 Matt. 24:43; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15

i 12:40 ch. 21:34, 36; Matt. 24:44; 25:13; Mark 13:33; 1 Thess. 5:6; 2 Pet. 3:12

j 12:42 Matt. 24:45; 25:21; 1 Cor. 4:2

k 12:44 Matt. 24:27

l 12:45 Matt. 24:48

m 12:47 Num. 15:30; Deut. 25:2; John 9:41; 15:22; Acts 17:30; James 4:17

n 12:48 Lev. 5:17; 1 Tim. 1:13

o 12:49 ver. 51

p 12:50 Matt. 20:22; Mark 10:38

q 12:51 ver. 49; Matt. 10:34

rMic. 7:6; John 7:43; 9:16; 10:19

s 12:52 Matt. 10:35

a 12:54 Matt. 16:2

b 12:58 Prov. 25:8; Matt. 5:25

cSee Ps. 32:6; Isa. 55:6

d 13:6 Isa. 5:2; Matt. 21:19

e 13:13 Mark 16:18; Acts 9:17

a 13:14 Exod. 20:9

bch. 6:7; 14:3; Matt. 12:10; Mark 3:2

c 13:15 ch. 14:5

d 13:16 ch. 19:9

e 13:18 Matt. 13:31; Mark 4:30

f 13:22 Matt. 9:35; Mark 6:6

g 13:24 Matt. 7:13

hSee John 7:34; 8:21; 13:33; Rom. 9:31

i 13:25 Ps. 32:6; Isa. 55:6

jMatt. 25:10

kch. 6:46

lMatt. 7:23; 25:12

m 13:27 ver. 25; Matt. 7:23; 25:41

nPs. 6:8; Matt. 25:41

o 13:28 Matt. 8:12; 13:42; 24:51

pMatt. 8:11

q 13:30 Matt. 19:30; 20:16; Mark 10:31

a 13:32 Heb. 2:10

b 13:34 Matt. 23:37

c 13:35 Lev. 26:31-32; Ps. 69:25; Isa. 1:7; Dan. 9:27; Mic. 3:12

dch. 19:38; Ps. 118:26; Matt. 21:9; Mark 11:10; John 12:13

e 14:3 Matt. 12:10

f 14:5 ch. 13:15; Exod. 23:5; Deut. 22:4

g 14:10 Prov. 25:6-7

h 14:11 ch. 18:14; Job 22:29; Ps. 18:27; Prov. 29:23; Matt. 23:12; James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5

i 14:13 Neh. 8:10,12

a 14:15 Rev. 19:9

b 14:16 Matt. 22:2

c 14:17 Prov. 9:2,5

d 14:24 Matt. 21:43; 22:8; Acts 13:46

e 14:26 Deut. 13:6; 33:9; Matt. 10:37

fRom. 9:13

gRev. 12:11

h 14:27 ch. 9:23; Matt. 16:24; Mark 8:34; 2 Tim. 3:12

i 14:28 Prov. 24:27

j 14:34 Matt. 5:13; Mark 9:50

k 15:1 Matt. 9:10

l 15:2 Acts 11:3; Gal. 2:12

m 15:4 Matt. 18:12

a 15:6 1 Pet. 2:10,25

b 15:7 ch. 5:32

c 15:12 Mark 12:44

d 15:20 Acts 2:39; Eph. 2:13,17

e 15:21 Ps. 51:4

f 15:24 ver. 32; Eph. 2:1; 5:14; Rev. 3:1

a 15:32 ver. 24

b 16:8 John 12:36; Eph. 5:8; 1 Thess. 5:5

c 16:9 ch. 11:41; Dan. 4:27; Matt. 6:19; 19:21; 1 Tim. 6:17-19

d 16:10 ch. 19:27; Matt. 25:21

a 16:13 Matt. 6:24

b 16:14 Matt. 23:14

c 16:15 ch. 10:29

dPs. 7:9

e1 Sam. 16:7

f 16:16 Matt. 4:17; 11:12-13; Luke 7:29

g 16:17 Ps. 102:27,21; Isa. 40:8; 51:6; Matt. 5:18; 1 Pet. 1:25

h 16:18 Matt. 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11; 1 Cor. 7:10-11

i 16:24 Zech. 14:12

jIsa. 66:24; Mark 9:44, etc.

k 16:25 ch. 6:24; Job 21:13

a 16:29 Isa. 8:20; 34:16; John 5:39,45; Acts 15:21; 17:11

b 16:31 John 12:10-11

c 17:1 Matt. 18:6-7; Mark 9:42; 1 Cor. 11:19

d 17:3 Matt. 18:15,21

eLev. 19:17; Prov. 17:10; James 5:19

f 17:6 Matt. 17:20; 21:21; Mark 9:23; 11:23

g 17:8 ch. 12:37

h 17:10 Job 22:3; 35:7; Ps. 16:2; Matt. 25:30; Rom. 3:12; 11:35; 1 Cor. 9:16-17; Phm. 11

i 17:11 ch. 9:51-52; John 4:4

j 17:12 Lev. 13:46

k 17:14 ch. 5:14; Lev. 13:2; 14:2; Matt. 8:4

l 17:19 ch. 7:50; 8:48; 18:42; Matt. 9:22; Mark 5:34; 10:52

a 17:21 ver. 23

bRom. 14:17

c 17:22 See Matt. 9:15; John 17:12

d 17:23 ch. 21:8; Matt. 24:23; Mark 13:21

e 17:24 Matt. 24:27

f 17:25 ch. 9:22; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33

g 17:26 Gen. 7; Matt. 24:37

h 17:28 Gen. 19

i 17:29 Gen. 19:16,24

j 17:30 2 Thess. 1:7

k 17:31 Matt. 24:17; Mark 13:15

l 17:32 Gen. 19:26

m 17:33 ch. 9:24; Matt. 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35; John 12:25

n 17:34 Matt. 24:40-41; 1 Thess. 4:17

o 17:37 Job 39:30; Matt. 24:28

p 18:1 ch. 11:5; 21:36; Rom. 12:12; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:17

q 18:5 ch. 11:8

a 18:7 Rev. 6:10

b 18:8 Heb. 10:37; 2 Pet. 3:8-9

c 18:9 ch. 10:29; 16:15

d 18:11 Ps. 135:2

eIsa. 1:15; 58:2; Rev. 3:17

f 18:14 ch. 14:11; Job 22:29; Matt. 23:12; James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5-6

g 18:15 Matt. 19:13; Mark 10:13

h 18:16 1 Cor. 14:20; 1 Pet. 2:2

i 18:17 Mark 10:15

j 18:18 Matt. 19:16; Mark 10:17

k 18:20 Exod. 20:12,16; Deut. 5:16-20; Rom. 13:9

lEph. 6:2; Col. 3:20

m 18:22 Matt. 6:19-20; 19:21; 1 Tim. 6:19

n 18:24 Prov. 11:28; Matt. 19:23; Mark 10:23

o 18:27 ch. 1:37; Jer. 32:17; Zech. 8:6; Matt. 19:26

p 18:28 Matt. 19:27

q 18:29 Deut. 33:9

a 18:30 Job 42:10

b 18:31 Matt. 16:21; 17:22; 20:17; Mark 10:32

cPs. 22; Isa. 53

d 18:32 ch. 23:1; Matt. 27:2; John 18:28; Acts 3:13

e 18:34 ch. 2:50; 9:45; Mark 9:32; John 10:6; 12:16

f 18:35 Matt. 20:29; Mark 10:46

g 18:42 ch. 17:19

h 18:43 ch. 5:26; Acts 4:21; 11:18

i 19:7 ch. 5:30; Matt. 9:11

a 19:8 ch. 3:14

bExod. 22:1; 1 Sam. 12:3; 2 Sam. 12:6

c 19:9 Rom. 4:11-12,16; Gal. 3:7

dch. 13:16

e 19:10 Matt. 18:11; See Matt. 10:6; 15:24

f 19:11 Acts 1:6

g 19:12 Matt. 25:14; Mark 13:34

h 19:14 John 1:11

i 19:17 ch. 16:10; Matt. 25:21

j 19:21 Matt. 25:24

k 19:22 2 Sam. 1:16; Job 15:6; Matt. 12:37

lMatt. 25:26

m 19:26 ch. 8:18; Matt. 13:12; 25:29; Mark 4:25

n 19:28 Mark 10:32

a 19:29 Matt. 21:1; Mark 11:1

b 19:35 2 Kings 9:13; Matt. 21:7; John 12:14

c 19:36 Matt. 21:8

d 19:38 ch. 13:35; Ps. 118:26

ech. 2:14; Eph. 2:14

f 19:40 Hab. 2:11

g 19:41 John 11:35

h 19:43 ch. 21:20; Isa. 29:3-4; Jer. 6:3,6

i 19:44 1 Kings 9:7-8; Mic. 3:12

jch. 21:6; Matt. 24:2; Mark 13:2

kch. 1:68,78; Dan. 9:24; 1 Pet. 2:12

l 19:45 Matt. 21:12; Mark 11:11,15; John 2:14-15

m 19:46 Isa. 56:7

nJer. 7:11

o 19:47 Mark 11:18; John 7:19; 8:37

p 20:1 Matt. 21:23

a 20:2 Acts 4:7; 7:27

b 20:6 ch. 7:29; Matt. 14:5; 21:26;

c 20:9 Matt. 21:33; Mark 12:1

d 20:17 Ps. 118:22; Matt. 21:42

e 20:18 Dan. 2:34-35; Matt. 21:44

f 20:20 Matt. 22:15

g 20:21 Matt. 22:16; Mark 12:14

a 20:27 Matt. 22:23; Mark 12:18

bActs 23:6,8

c 20:28 Deut. 25:5

d 20:36 1 Cor. 15:42,49,52; 1 John 3:2

eRom. 8:23

f 20:37 Exod. 3:6

g 20:38 Rom. 6:10-11

h 20:41 Matt. 22:42; Mark 12:35

i 20:42 Ps. 110:1; Acts 2:34

j 20:45 Matt. 23:1; Mark 12:38

k 20:46 Matt. 23:5

lch. 11:43

m 20:47 Matt. 23:14

a 21:1 Mark 12:41

b 21:3 2 Cor. 8:12

c 21:5 Matt. 24:1; Mark 13:1

d 21:6 ch. 19:44

a 21:8 Matt. 24:4; Mark 13:5; Eph. 5:6; 2 Thess. 2:3

b 21:10 Matt. 24:7

c 21:12 Mark 13:9; Rev. 2:10

dActs 4:3; 5:18; 12:4; 16:24

eActs 25:23

f1 Pet. 2:13

g 21:13 Php. 1:28; 2 Thess. 1:5

h 21:14 ch 12:11; Matt. 10:19; Mark 13:11

i 21:15 Acts 6:10

j 21:16 Mic. 7:6; Mark 13:12

kActs 7:59; 12:2

l 21:17 Matt. 10:22

m 21:18 Matt. 10:30

n 21:20 Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14

o 21:22 Dan. 9:26-27; Zech. 11:1

p 21:23 Matt. 24:19

q 21:24 Dan. 9:27; 12:7; Rom. 11:25

r 21:25 Matt. 24:29; Mark 13:24; 2 Pet. 3:10,12

s 21:26 Matt. 24:29

t 21:27 Matt. 24:30; Rev. 1:7; 14:14

a 21:28 Rom. 8:19,23

b 21:29 Matt. 24:32; Mark 13:28

c 21:33 Matt. 24:35

d 21:34 Rom. 13:13; 1 Thess. 5:6; 1 Pet. 4:7

e 21:35 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15

f 21:36 Matt. 24:42; 25:13; Mark 13:33

gch. 18:1

hPs. 1:5; Eph. 6:13

i 21:37 John 8:1-2

jch. 22:39

k 22:1 Matt. 26:2; Mark 14:1

l 22:2 Ps. 2:2; John 11:47; Acts 4:27

m 22:3 Matt. 26:14; Mark 14:10; John 13:2,27

n 22:5 Zech. 11:12

o 22:7 Matt. 26:17; Mark 14:12

a 22:14 Matt. 26:20; Mark 14:17

b 22:16 ch. 14:15; Acts 10:41; Rev. 19:9

c 22:18 Matt. 26:29; Mark 14:25

d 22:19 Matt. 26:26; Mark 14:22

e1 Cor. 11:24

f 22:20 1 Cor. 10:16

g 22:21 Ps. 41:9; Matt. 26:21,23; Mark 14:18; John 13:21,26

h 22:22 Matt. 26:24

iActs 2:23; 4:28

j 22:23 Matt. 26:22; John 13:22,25

k 22:24 Mark 9:34; Luke 9:46

l 22:25 Matt. 20:25; Mark 10:42

m 22:26 Matt. 20:26; 1 Pet. 5:3

nch. 9:48

o 22:27 ch. 12:37

pMatt. 20:28; John 13:13-14; Php. 2:7

q 22:28 Heb. 4:15

r 22:29 ch. 12:32; Matt. 24:47; 2 Cor. 1:7; 2 Tim. 2:12

s 22:30 ch. 14:15; Matt. 8:11; Rev. 19:9

tPs. 49:14; Matt. 19:28; 1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 3:21

u 22:31 1 Pet. 5:8

vAmos 9:9

w 22:32 John 17:9,11,15

xPs. 51:13; John 21:15-17

a 22:34 Matt. 26:34; Mark 14:30; John 13:38

b 22:35 ch. 9:3; 10:4; Matt. 10:9

c 22:37 Isa. 53:12; Mark 15:28

d 22:39 Matt. 26:36; Mark 14:32; John 18:1

ech. 21:37

f 22:40 ver. 46; Matt. 6:13; 26:41; Mark 14:38

g 22:41 Matt. 26:39; Mark 14:35

h 22:42 John 5:30; 6:38

i 22:43 Matt. 4:11

j 22:44 John 12:27; Heb. 5:7

k 22:46 ver. 40

l 22:47 Matt. 26:47; Mark 14:43; John 18:3

m 22:50 Matt. 26:51; Mark 14:47; John 18:10

n 22:52 Matt. 26:55; Mark 14:48

o 22:53 John 12:27

p 22:54 Matt. 26:57

a 22:54 Matt. 26:58; John 18:15

b 22:55 Matt. 26:69; Mark 14:66; John 18:17-18

c 22:58 Matt. 26:71; Mark 14:69; John 18:25

d 22:59 Matt. 26:73; Mark 14:70; John 18:26

e 22:61 Matt. 26:75; Mark 14:72

fMatt. 26:34,75; John 13:38

g 22:63 Matt. 26:67-68; Mark 14:65

h 22:66 Matt. 27:1

iActs 4:26; See Acts 22:5

j 22:67 Matt. 26:63; Mark 14:61

k 22:69 Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62; Heb. 1:3; 8:1

l 22:70 Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62

m 22:71 Matt. 26:65; Mark 14:62

n 23:1 Matt. 27:2; Mark 15:1; John 18:28

o 23:2 Acts 17:7

pSee Matt. 17:27; 22:21; Mark 12:17

qJohn 19:12

r 23:3 Matt. 27:11; 1 Tim. 6:13

s 23:4 1 Pet. 2:22

a 23:7 ch. 3:1

b 23:8 ch. 9:9

cMatt. 14:1; Mark 6:14

d 23:11 Isa. 53:3

e 23:12 Acts 4:27

f 23:13 Matt. 27:23; Mark 15:14; John 18:38; 19:4

g 23:14 ver. 1-2

hver. 4

i 23:16 Matt. 27:26; John 19:1

j 23:17 Matt. 27:15; Mark 15:6; John 18:39

k 23:18 Acts 3:14

l 23:24 Matt. 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:16

m 23:26 Matt. 27:32; Mark 15:21; See John 19:17

a 23:29 ch. 21:23; Matt. 24:19

b 23:30 Isa. 2:19; Hos. 10:8; Rev. 6:16; 9:6

c 23:31 Prov. 11:31; Jer. 25:29; Ezek. 20:47; 21:3-4; 1 Pet. 4:17

d 23:32 Isa. 53:12; Matt. 27:38

e 23:33 Matt. 27:33; Mark 15:22; John 19:17-18

f 23:34 Matt. 5:44; Acts 7:60; 1 Cor. 4:12

gActs 3:17

hMatt. 27:35; Mark 15:24; John 19:23

i 23:35 Ps. 22:17; Zech. 12:10

jMatt. 27:39; Mark 15:29

k 23:38 Matt. 27:37; Mark 15:26; John 19:19

l 23:39 Matt. 27:44; Mark 15:32

m 23:44 Matt. 27:45; Mark 15:33

n 23:45 Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38

o 23:46 Ps. 31:5; 1 Pet. 2:23

pMatt. 27:50; Mark 15:37; John 19:30

q 23:47 Matt. 27:54; Mark 15:39

r 23:49 Ps. 38:11; Matt. 27:55; Mark 15:40; See John 19:25

s 23:50 Matt. 27:57; Mark 15:42; John 19:38

a 23:51 ch. 2:25, 38; Mark 15:43

b 23:53 Matt. 27:59; Mark 15:46

c 23:54 Matt. 27:62

d 23:55 ch. 8:2

eMark 15:47

f 23:56 Mark 16:1

gExod. 20:10

h 24:1 Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; John 20:2

ich. 23:56

j 24:2 Matt. 28:2; Mark 16:4

k 24:3 ver. 23; Mark 16:5

l 24:4 John 20:12; Acts 1:10

m 24:6 ch. 9:22; Matt. 16:21; 17:23; Mark 8:31; 9:31

n 24:8 John 2:22

o 24:9 Matt. 28:8; Mark 16:10

p 24:10 ch. 8:3

q 24:11 ver. 25; Mark 16:11

r 24:12 John 20:3,6

s 24:13 Mark 16:12

t 24:15 ver. 36; Matt. 18:20

a 24:16 John 20:14; 21:4

b 24:18 John 19:25

c 24:19 ch. 7:16; Matt. 21:11; John 3:2; 4:19; 6:14; Acts 2:22

dActs 7:22

e 24:20 ch. 23:1; Acts 13:27-28

f 24:21 ch. 1:68; 2:38; Acts 1:6

g 24:22 ver. 9-10; Matt. 28:8; Mark 16:10; John 20:18

h 24:24 ver. 12

i 24:26 ver. 46; Acts 17:3; 1 Pet. 1:11

j 24:27 ver. 45

kGen. 3:15; 22:18; 26:4; 49:10; Num. 21:9; Deut. 18:15

lPs. 16:9-10,22; 132:11; Isa. 7:14; 9:6; 40:10-11; 50:6,53; Jer. 23:5; 33:14-15; Ezek. 34:23; 37:25; Dan. 9:24; Mic. 7:20; Mal. 3:1; 4:2; See John 1:45

m 24:28 See Gen. 32:26; 42:7; Mark 6:48

n 24:29 Gen. 19:3; Acts 16:15

o 24:30 Matt. 14:19

p 24:34 1 Cor. 15:5

q 24:36 Mark 16:14; John 20:19; 1 Cor. 15:5

a 24:37 Mark 6:49

b 24:39 John 20:20,27

c 24:41 Gen. 45:26

dJohn 21:5

e 24:43 Acts 10:41

f 24:44 ver. 6; ch. 9:22; 18:31; Matt. 16:21; 17:22; 20:18; Mark 8:31

g 24:45 Acts 16:14

h 24:46 ver. 26; Ps. 22; Isa. 50:6; 53:2, etc.; Acts 17:3

i 24:47 Dan. 9:24; Acts 13:38,46; 1 John 2:12

jGen. 12:3; Ps. 22:27; Isa. 49:6,22; Jer. 31:34; Hos. 2:23; Mic. 4:2; Mal. 1:11

k 24:48 John 15:27; Acts 1:8,22; 2:32; 3:15

l 24:49 Isa. 44:3; Joel 2:28; John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7; Acts 1:4; 2:1, etc.

m 24:50 Acts 1:12

n 24:51 2 Kings 2:11; Mark 16:19; John 20:17; Acts 1:9; Eph. 4:8

o 24:52 Matt. 28:9,17

p 24:53 Acts 2:46; 5:42

The Apostles and Their History
Name	Surname	Parents	Home	Business	Writings	Work	Death
Simon	Peter or Cephas = Rock	Jonah	Early life: Bethsaida; Later: Capernaum	Fisherman	1 & 2 Peter	Peter may have ministered in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, perhaps in Corinth, and finally in Rome.	According to tradition, attested by Tertullian and Origin, Peter was crucified "with his head downwards" in Rome. The date of his death is likely between a.d. 64 and 68.
Andrew = manhood or valor		Jonah	Early life: Bethsaida; Later: Capernaum	Fisherman		Uncertain but tradition says he ministered in Cappadocia, Galatia, Bithynia; later in the Sythian deserts and Byzantium; and finally in Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly, and Achaia.	The traditional view is that he was crucified at Patrae in Achaia by order of the Roman governor Ageas.
James the greater or the elder	Boanerges or Sons of Thunder	Zebedee and Salome	Bethsaida, Capernaum, and Jerusalem	Fisherman		Preached in Jerusalem and Judaea	Beheaded by Herod in a.d. 62 or 66 in Jerusalem
John, the beloved disciple	Boanerges or Sons of Thunder	Zebedee and Salome	Bethsaida, Capernaum, and Jerusalem	Fisherman	Gospel, three epistles, and Revelation	Labored among the churches of Asia Minor, especially in Ephesus	Banished to Patmos a.d. 95. Recalled; died a natural death
James the less		Alphaeus and Mary	Galilee			Preached in Judaea and Egypt	According to tradition, he was martyred in Egypt.
Judas (not Iscariot)	Same as Thaddaeus and Lebbaeus	James	Galilee			Preached in Mesopotamia and Armenia	Was martyred in what is now Iran and buried near Tabriz
Philip			Bethsaida			Preached in Phrygia	Was martyred in Phrygia; tradition says that he was buried in Hieropolis.
Bartholomew	Nathaniel		Cana of Galilee			One tradition says he preached in India. Others say he ministered in Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, Armenia, Lycaonia, Phrygia, and on the shores of the Black Sea.	One tradition says King Astyages of Babylon had him flayed and beheaded because the king's brother had been converted under Bartholomew's preaching.
Matthew	Levi		Galilee	Tax Collector	Gospel	There is strong consensus that he preached to his own people for nearly two decades. He is also associated with Ethiopians south of the Caspian Sea, Parthia, Macedonia, and Syria.	Some sources say Matthew was martyred; others say he died a natural death.
Thomas	Didymus		Galilee			Tradition says Thomas brought the gospel to India.	He is said to have been killed with a spear. Later his remains were taken to Edessa.
Simon	The Zealot		Galilee			Preached in Persia	Tradition says Simon was tortured and sawed in two.
Judas	Iscariot	Simon Iscariot	Kerioth of Judaea			Betrayed Jesus	Suicide

Luke

Circumstances of Writing

Message and Purpose

Contribution to the Bible

Timeline of Luke

Structure

Outline

Luke Study Notes

Luke Cross-References