Luke 17 – 18 Digging for Spiritual Gems (Alternative)
Week August 6-12, 2018
Lu 17:7-10: What is the point of Jesus’ illustration? (“good-for-nothing” study note on Lu 17:10, nwtsty) The point of Jesus’ illustration is notthat the slaves, his disciples, are to consider themselves useless or worthless. According to the context, “good-for-nothing” conveys the idea that the slaves would view themselves modestly, not as deserving special credit or praise. Some scholars consider the term as it is used here to be hyperbole meaning “we are merely slaves deserving no special attention.”
Lu 18:8: What kind of faith is Jesus referring to in this verse? (“this faith” study note on Lu 18:8, nwtsty) The use of the Greek definite article before the word “faith” indicates that Jesus was referring, not to faith in a general sense, but to a particular kind of faith, like that of the widow in Jesus’ illustration. (Lu 18:1-8) This would include having faith in the power of prayer as well as faith that God will cause justice to be done to his chosen ones. Jesus apparently left the question about faith unanswered so that his disciples would think about the quality of their own faith. The illustration about prayer and faith was particularly appropriate because Jesus had just been describing the tests his disciples would face. Lu 17:22-37.
What does this week’s Bible reading teach me about Jehovah?
Lu 17:5-6: Jehovah can give us more faith that is need by giving us his holy spirit. We see this request was answered, at Pentecost 33 C.E., when the promised holy spirit came upon the disciples and gave them deeper insight into God’s Word and purpose. (Act 2:14-21)
Lu 17:9-10: Jehovah does appreciate what we do in his service, no matter how little it maybe because of our circumstances. We can be sure Jehovah will not forget our works and love we shown for his name as shown in Heb 6:10.
Lu 17:12-14: Jehovah has the power to cure all diseases in the whole world. That is a promise by Jehovah at Isa 33:24. See Re 21:3-4, De7:15.
Lu 18:7-8: Jehovah is the hearer of prayer and we must keep asking for his help and in time Jehovah will cause justice to be done. Ps 65:2, 145
Lu 18:14: Jehovah love humble people and this will help us to draw close to him. We can see this in Jesus case, for Jehovah exalts Jesus to a superior position. We to can be close to Jehovah, if we stay humble and do Jehovah’s will he will exalt us to life everlasting in a paradise earth.
Lu 18:16-17: Jehovah has tender concern for each of his worshippers including the “little ones” even those who may seem unimportant from the standpoint of the world.
Lu 18:18: Jehovah the true God is the source of all good things. Moreover, Jesus drew attention to the fundamental truth that the Creator of all things, Jehovah God, alone has the right to set the standards of good and bad.
Lu 18:27: Jehovah has the power to make the impossible to be possible for we are told here “impossible with men are possible with God.” So we can put our trust in Jehovah for he can make it possible for some of the rich to enter his kingdom, if they do his will. Ge 18:14; Job 42:2; Zec 5:6.
Lu 18:31-33: Jehovah is the fulfiller of prophecies, who foretold all what will happen to his beloved Son like: Ps 22:7; Isa 50:6, 53:5,7. Yes good reason for us to trust in Jehovah to fulfilled his promises to the faithful ones about new heaven and new earth of peace.
Lu 18:41-43: Jehovah never wanted his earthly children to suffer with illness like blindness. Yet Jehovah has promise to do away with blindness for at Isa35:5 “At that time the eyes of the blind will be opened.” Yes Jehovah is the greatest healer and shows his power through Jesus. Ps 146:8
What other spiritual gems have you discovered in this week’s Bible reading?
Lu 17:3-4: The offended one is encouraged to try to forgive if there is sincere repentance. Jehovah himself views matters this way; to receive divine forgiveness, we must be sincerely repentant.
Lu 17:9-10: As slaves of Jehovah we need not think that what all we do makes us better than other. Rather, we should look at what we do for Jehovah is what we can do because our circumstances allow it.
Lu 17:12: In Bible times, lepers evidently congregated together or lived in groups, making it possible for them to help one another as we see 10 lepers here. (2Ki 7:3-5) God’s Law required that lepers live in isolation, to warn others of their presence and stay at a distance. (Le 13:45, 46)
Lu 17:15: We should glorify Jehovah for all the good things he has done for us and express it in our prayers to him.
Lu 17:16-19: We do not want to be like the nine lepers who did not show appreciation for what Jesus did for them. Rather, when someone treats us well, we should be quick to say thank you and, where appropriate we can show appreciation by sending a note.
Lu 17:21: Many Bible translate that the Kingdom of God ”inside you,” yet this cannot be true for Jesus was talking to the Pharisees who did not believe in him and wanted to Kill him. Jesus was God’s royal representative, and anointed by God; hence, so it could be said that “the Kingdom” was in their midst.
Lu 17:24-31: Jesus is not saying that people in Noah’s and in Lot’s day were destroyed simply because they pursued the normal activities of life. Rather they went about without paying any attention to God’s will, May we stay awake of the time we live in and not be destroy.
Lu 17:34-35: Those taken in this context, it evidently refers to receiving a favorable standing with the “Lord” and being saved like Noah and Lot. Yet those that are being abandoned would then mean to be judged worthy of destruction like those in Noah’s day.
Lu 18:10-14: Jesus emphasizes the need for his disciples to be humble. Being reared in a society in which the self-righteous Pharisees are so influential and position and rank are always stressed, yet we see that Jesus’ was not affected. May we do the same of being humble.
Lu 18:18: Jesus here recognizes Jehovah as the ultimate standard of what is good, the one who has the sovereign right to determine what is good and what is bad. It also show that Jesus is not the one who set the standard of what is good and bad, so he cannot be God.
Lu 18:22-25: A warning for those who put the love of money or material things before their love of Jehovah. Satan wants Jehovah’s people to love the temporary things of life so they will lose out on the permanent things that bring everlasting happiness.
Lu 18:29-30: Jesus promises, wherever in the world his disciples go, they enjoy a relationship with fellow Christians that is closer and more precious than that enjoyed with natural family members.
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