The Gospel According to Luke Chapter 9
Originally posted Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Luke Chapter 9:1-6 The
Mission of the Twelve [see MT 10:5-15; MK 6:6b-13]
Luke
follows Mark's outline of the mission of the twelve, adding his own
emphases. Here Jesus gives powerand authority
over all demons and to cure
diseases. The core values of the mission are to preach the Kingdom of God and
to heal. For Luke these two - preaching and healing, are always necessary for a
complete understanding of God's Kingdom.
In
his instructions regarding what to carry he has changed Mark's small copper
coins to the silver denarius coins reflecting Luke's more affluent
community. By the time Luke's writings had been completed Christianity had made
significant inroads among the middle and upper classes of Gentiles as well
as among officials of the imperial court. The number of Jewish Christians
would have begun to be a diminishing minority in the post Jewish War period
with the attendant growth of Rabbinical Judaism.
Luke
closes his passage with two subtle changes of Mark. He omits the healing by
anointing with oil, a Jewish practice mentioned also in the Jewish Christian
writing James 5:13. Although
the use of oil on wounds was a common component of medical treatment this
practice as a prescribed rite of the church may not have prevailed in Gentile
churches. In modern times, the "Anointing of the Sick" is practiced
in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches as well as the more
Liturgical Protestant churches.
Luke's vs. 6 mentions bringing the good
news and healing to the villages. This is a connection to vs. 4:18, where Jesus begins his
ministry with a reading from Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me, for he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor..." What Jesus
set out to do, has become a key role of being a disciple.
Luke Chapter 9:7-9 Herod
Antipas' Perplexity [see MT 14:1-2; MK 6:14-16]
Luke
corrects Mark's error by changing Herod's title from King to Tetrarch (ruler of
a quarter). His part of Palestine was Galilee and Perea (the "Country
Beyond") on the East side of the Jordan River. After Herod the Great
died, Antipas did make attempts to persuade Augustus Caesar to void
Herod's Will and make him King of his father's entire realm, but was
rejected.
That
Antipas would have heard about Jesus is not surprising. Jesus was active in
Galilee and the Herods were known for their network of informants. Antipas was
hated by the people he ruled and riots or uprisings against him were always on
his mind. The passage reflects a few of the Messianic expectations that were
current in Jesus' time. Antipas has already beheaded John the Baptist (Luke
omits the story). Expectations that John would return either as Elijah or
the Messiah arose from the followers of John. The strongest interest was in the
return of Elijah as the forerunner of the Day of the Lord and the Messiah, and
the Prophet - "the one who is to come."
Luke
has avoided any indication of Mark's report that Antipas thought Jesus was the
resurrected John or possessed the spirit of John. Antipas does, however,
have an interest in meeting Jesus, for reasons other than a quiet chat.
Jesus' popularity is seen as a threat and any threat needs to be examined and
extinguished.
Luke Chapter 9:10-17 The
Disciples Return and the Feeding the five Thousand [see MT 14:13-21;
MK 6:30-44]
This
story is the only miracle of Jesus that appears in all four of the Gospel
versions, making it a well know part of the earliest layers of the remembered
tradition. Mark is the primary source for Matthew and Luke while John may have
worked from an independent but similar source (see John 6:1-13). One other note of interest, but unrelated to the
story, is Luke's "Great "Omission" of Mk 6:45-8:26, rejoining Mark once more at Mk 8:27, Peter's "confession of faith." The reasons for
this omission are not clear and are the subject of considerable modern
research, but the answers thus far are inconclusive.
Luke
and Matthew may have followed Mark, but there are enough similarities between
Matthew and Luke to suggest another common source (Q) or their own independent
sources (M, L). In any case, Mark's version is twice the length of Matthew and
Luke. Apart from the main elements of the story, Luke does add the usual
coupling of Jesus' preaching about the Kingdom of God and his healing of those
who needed to be cured as we read in vs.
2.
Luke Chapter 9:18-20 Peter's
Confession of Faith [see MT 16:13-20; MK 8:27-30]
This
brief passage contains common conclusions. Peter declares that Jesus is the
"Messiah, the Son of the living God" (MT); "the
Messiah" (MK); and "The Messiah of God" (LK). All three are
essentially the same since the Messiah is the Son of David and David as the
King of Israel, was anointed as Son of God (see Psalm 2:7 also the source of the voice of God at Jesus'
baptism).
Luke Chapter 9:21-22 Jesus
Foretells His Death and Resurrection [see MT 16:21-23; MK 8:31-33]
Luke
provides only the briefest mention of this prediction, omitting the major
section of Mark and Matthew in which Peter expresses his inability to
accept that such a thing (suffering and death) can happen to Jesus,
and Jesus' countering that such a denial of the coming reality is more the talk
of Satan and not from God. In Matthew the sharpness of this interchange is
more pronounced since Peter's confession of faith was said by Jesus to be
a revelation from God. It seems the part about resurrection did not
register with Peter. Sometimes the bad news has a way of overwhelming the
good news of hope.
Luke Chapter 9:23-27 The
Conditions of Discipleship [see MT 16:24-28; MK 8:34-9:1]
Other
than omitting Mark's repetition in vs.
37 (Mt 16:26b) Luke has
made only one substantive change. Invs.
23 he adds the word "daily" so that it reads, "...lift
up [your] cross daily and follow me." This is part of the three aspects of
discipleship in Luke: deny yourselves, take up your cross daily and follow me.
The use of "daily" changes the emphasis on taking up one's
cross. To do so is not an expression of the disciples' readiness
to die with Jesus in Jerusalem but the readiness to lay aside one's
self interests daily for the sake of the Kingdom, to follow Jesus.
The imperatives that follow this call to discipleship suggest that to do
so effectively will require courage when confronted with rejection and
ridicule (vs.24); integrity
when faced with the temptation to compromise
with questionable standards of personal, social and corporate
behavior (vs. 25); and
conviction when the opportunity to share with others what our faith means and
has done for our lives. Jesus calls to discipleship those who willing deny
themselves and lift up their cross whenever the occasion requires, and to
follow him always and in every way.
Luke Chapter 9:28-36 The
Transfiguration [see MT 17:1-8; MK 9:2-8]
For
Luke this passage serves the Christological interests of the Church. Previous
passages have dealt with the subject of Jesus' identity, in the eyes of
secular power - Antipas, the crowds, and then the disciples. This was
followed by the meaning of being a disciple of Jesus in the context of who the
disciples think he is. In the transfiguration there is a connection with
Jesus' baptism. At his baptism the voice of God that is heard only by
Jesus is an anointing voice, "You are my Son, the beloved, with whom
I am well pleased." In the Transformation there is much more emphasis on
the validation of Jesus' as the Son of God. Here Jesus is in the presence of Elijah
and Moses. They represent Law and the Prophets of which, as the church
understands it, Jesus is the fulfillment.
Moses
and Elijah speak with Jesus as affirmation about his departure, his
exaltation to heaven through death and resurrection. The appearance of the
Shekinah, the Holy Presence, into which the disciples enter, conveys the
voice of God "speaking" to the disciples, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him." It is a summation of ideas.
Listen to him about the Kingdom; about readiness; about your future; about
Jerusalem and beyond. Luke presses the issue at hand: if the disciples had any
doubts or misgivings about whom Jesus is these doubts should now be removed.
Luke Chapter 9:37-43a Jesus
Heals a Boy with a Demon [see MT 17:14-21; MK 9:14-29]
Luke
and Matthew are following their common source here rather than Mark whose
version is quite extensive. Luke presents the key points of the story in a
staccato like fashion. A crowd meets Jesus; a man shouts out that his son is
demon possessed and the disciples can't help him (we might assume that
these disciples were not the twelve); the boy is being injured; Jesus rebukes
the demon, heals the boy and gives him back to his father; and everyone was
astounded at the greatness of God. That final phrase is important in that it is
a clear tenet of Luke that what Jesus does and says comes from God. Whatever
power he has it is a derived power present only in connection with God's
presence within him.
Luke Chapter 9:43b-45 Jesus'
Second Prediction [see MT 17:22-23; MK 9:30-32]
It
is interesting that all three versions of this passage differ. In Matthew and
Mark the content of Jesus' prediction contains all the elements of betrayal,
death and resurrection, while in Luke it is only his betrayal. In Matthew the
disciples are understandably distressed, while in Mark and Luke they do not
understand what he means. Also, in Luke they are kept from understanding. We
might understand Luke's meaning if we consider what events have recently
transpired. Think of this in the context of these preceding events: Jesus calms
the storm; heals the Gerasene Demoniac; restores the health of the woman with a
hemorrhage; raises a child presumed dead; the disciples have a very successful
mission proclaiming the Kingdom and healing the sick; Jesus feeds the five
thousand; the disciples are witness to the Transfiguration; Jesus heals a demon
possessed boy. It seems quite reasonable that the disciples might have been a
bit incredulous at the prospect that Jesus was going to be betrayed. What do we
say? He was on a roll?" All they could see was success. Their own minds
shut out any other news.
Luke Chapter 9:46-48 True
Greatness [see MT 18:1-5; MK 9:33-37]
The
disciples debate about who among them will be the greatest. They sound
like a group of children arguing over who will get to open their Christmas
present first. By showing the child as the one who provides access to the
Kingdom of God, Jesus demonstrates true greatness: to be one whose life serves
the cause of Christ as a disciple, being a humble and willing servant
without regard for reward. This is greatness.
Luke Chapter 9:49-50 Another
Exorcist [ see MK 9:38-41]
Luke
has greatly simplified Mark's text. There is someone casting out demons in
Jesus' name and he is not part of the group. Jesus gives them a simple rule of
thumb: If he isn't against you he is for you. This is a follow-up on the
previous debate about greatness. They obviously didn't understand the lesson.
Their concern is not with the person out of whom a demon has been exorcized, it
is in the bragging rights for having done it. The disciples have erred in
thinking of the exorcist as outside their limited circle. Theirs is a
haughtiness of exclusivity. If you aren't part of us you are not acceptable.
What has happened in this story continues to happen as one group excludes
another because of some perceived but artificial boundary. Whether the barriers
are racial, religious, national, economic, education, sexuality, gender,
or anything else which makes any person believe that another is
not welcome in the family of God, they serve only to shut us out.
Luke Chapter 9:51-56 The
Samaritan Village (Unique to Luke)
This
passage, found only in Luke, is the turning point of the Gospel. The opening
words of vs. 51, "When the
days drew near for him to be taken up..." signal the change of focus from
the Galilean ministry to the journey to Jerusalem. The phrase looks forward to
Jesus' being "taken up," which for Luke (and John) is his ascension
and exaltation to God, the final work he will accomplish.
On
his way to Jerusalem Jesus plans to pass through Samaria. He sent messengers
(several disciples) to secure accommodations and probably to determine how
receptive the townspeople would be to his visit. As we read, they were not at
all receptive because"...his face was set towards Jerusalem." To
understand this rejection of Jesus we must consider the relations that existed
between the Jews and the Samaritans. To put it briefly, they were acrimonious
at best. Samaritans had their own Temple on Mount Gerizim, their own idea of
the Messiah, the Taheb or restorer, and did not accept the legitimacy of the
Jerusalem temple or its worship. In the war between the Syrians and Palestine,
the Samaritans sided with the Syrians. All this is to say that each side of this
separation would be pleased if the other did not exist. We will mention the
Samaritans again in Luke's parable of the Good Samaritan, the Acts of the
Apostles and in our reading of John's version of the Gospel.
The
reaction of the disciples to this rejection of Jesus would be a typical Jewish
response, and it would not be the first time parts of Samaria were set ablaze.
Jesus, however, rebukes the disciples in their desire to punish the Samaritan
village.
Luke Chapter 9:57-62 The
Would Be Followers of Jesus [see MT 8:19-22]
Luke
shares sources for the first part of the passage without editing. The passage
demonstrates the sense of urgency that prevailed in the latter part of Jesus'
ministry. To one prospective follower Jesus lays out the cost of following
one who has no place to lay his head. To another who wants to return
home to bury his father (a solemn responsibility of a son) he says let the
[spiritually] dead bury the dead and to go proclaim the Kingdom of
God instead. Luke adds a third prospective follower who wants to say
farewell to his family. To him Jesus quotes a proverb about choices and not
looking back, no second guessing once the choice is made. This is the
urgency of the Church which looks forward to the Kingdom of God as near and
approaching, with little time to waste as they carry out the evangelistic
enterprise.
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