Day #278

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Matt 4, Luke 4-5, John 1:15-51 - Reading
Matt 4, Luke 4-5, John 1:15-51 - Audio

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Matthew 4, Luke 4-5, John 1:15-51

Matthew 4: Jesus triumphs over the devil in the wilderness, proclaims the kingdom of God and calls disciples to follow him. Jesus’ ministry has traditionally been thought to have been three years: a year of obscurity, a year of popularity, and a year of increasing rejection.

4:1-11 Satan tempted Jesus with material gain, religious control and political domination. But Jesus’ victorious encounter with the enemy confirmed that Christ was not only the Son of God but also the suffering Messiah, triumphing over evil.

Luke’s account highlights the parallel between Jesus’ temptation experience and the experience of the Old Testament Israel in the wilderness. Jesus was tempted for 40 days in the desert, while Israel wandered for 40years in the wilderness. But the difference in outcome is also crucial: Jesus was fully obedient to the Father, whereas Israel failed the test of obedience.

4:23-25 Matthew emphasized the impact of Jesus’ comprehensive, healing ministry by giving a list of illnesses. The kingdom’s arrival was confirmed by Jesus’ physical, emotional, social and economic healing. Many of the individuals listed would have been social outcasts, living in economic destitution. To be healed of their illnesses meant restoration to society and livelihood. No wonder Jesus generated such a stir in Israel with his message of the kingdom’s arrival. His ministry wasn’t just in words, but in life and deeds – providing people with tangible signs of the kingdom.

Luke 4: Jesus is successful over Satan then begins his ministry on earth.

4:1-13 See notes from Matthew 4:1-11

4:16-30 This account of rejection at Nazareth, presented at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, highlights certain critical characteristics of his ministry.

As Jesus speaks, we notice that he is aware of his anointing and claims to be the messianic servant of God who is speaking in this passage from Isaiah 61. Jesus carries out the role of a prophet by proclaiming the “good news” but he also carries out the role of Delivered as the one who saves his people.

Citing examples from the ministries of Elijah and Elisha, Jesus reminds the people of Nazareth that when Israel rejects God’s prophets, God sends the people elsewhere.

The early rabbinic document known as the Mishnah recorded that the only proper way to stone someone was by throwing the person down the cliff. At least two eyewitnesses were required, and the witnesses should act on behalf of the court to execute the criminal. The rabbis considered stoning a legitimate death penalty, especially for those whose sins included adultery, blasphemy, idolatry, and witchcraft, persistent rebellion against parents or Sabbath breaking.

Luke does not explain how Jesus “passed through their midst” (v.30), but since a mob was arrayed against Jesus, some miraculous deliverance would seem to be the case. It was not yet Jesus’ time to die.

4:31-44 Jesus teaches and heals many. The people were astonished at Jesus’ teaching because his word possessed authority. In contrast to their rabbis, who merely cited the opinions of other rabbis, Jesus’ teachings had authority, the authority of God himself. His authority is also seen in the following triumphs over demons and his healings.

When Jesus heals the man with an unclean demon, the demon recognizes Jesus as the Holy One of God who has come in the power of the Holy Spirit to triumph over demonic powers. Jesus’ triumph over demons was a clear indication that God’s kingdom was breaking into the present age in a new and decisive way, driving back demonic forces and setting people free to serve God.

“All those who had any” (v. 40) indicates a large crowd of people waiting to be healed. Though it was late and the sun was setting, Jesus did not miraculously perform an instantaneous group healing, but paid individual attention to each person: “he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.”

Luke 5: Jesus calls his first disciples and performs miracles.

Luke 5:1-11 Jesus preceded his call to Peter by demonstrating his authority. Conditions weren’t favorable, but the effort was so successful that the “system” was ill-equipped to handle the intake.

“Lake Gennesaret” is also known as the Sea of Galilee.

Peter knew fishing and saw in this event the hand of God. In the presence of God, he was convicted of his sinfulness (v. 8).

Luke 5:12-16 Several different diseases, varying in severity and prognosis were referred to as “leprosy.” In its worst form the condition was defiling, disfiguring and fatal. The leper was considered ceremonially unclean. The only known defense was quarantine of the sufferer.

Before declaring his willingness and announcing the man cleansed, Jesus touched him – showing compassion and acceptance.

Luke 5:17-26 Jesus asked the Pharisees to ponder a question: Is it easier to declare sins forgiven or to tell a paraplegic to get up and walk? Neither is easy, but the Pharisees knew that only God can forgive sins. Jesus provides divine proof that he has not only the power to heal but also the authority to forgive sins.

Scribes and Pharisees are often paired together in the Gospels. Pharisees were the most influential of the major Jewish sects. They were a relatively small group, but highly influential that taught meticulous observance of the laws of the Old Testament and tradition. Scribes were the teachers of the law.

Luke 5:27-32 Fellowship with tax collectors and sinners implies welcoming these people into extended interpersonal association, which the Pharisees thought would make a person unclean. Just as Jesus would cleanse the leper, rather than being made unclean by the leper; so Jesus brings sinners to repentance and forgiveness, rather than to be defiled by association with the sinners.

Luke 5:31-39 These verses contrast the “new” situation of the kingdom of pod with the previous “old” situation under the Mosaic law.

Jesus concludes his response to the question about fasting with a parable consisting of two main metaphors: (1) a new patch cannot be put on an old garment, for upon washing it will shrink and pulling on the already shrunken garment will tear it. (2) One does not put new wine into old wineskins. New, fermenting wine would stretch the old, inelastic wineskins and cause them to burst. New wine needs newer, more elastic skins. The point of these two metaphors is that one cannot mix the old and the new covenant, and that the new covenant era inaugurated by Jesus’ coming will require repentance, regeneration and new forms of worship.

John 1:15-51 retells the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus calling the first disciples.

John 1:15-28 John’s expression “The Jews” is used 68 times in the Greek text of John and often refers to those who were hostile to Jesus. John wants his Jewish readers to understand that hostility toward Jesus goes way back to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, but that did not deter some Jews from following Jesus.

John 1:29-34 When John the Baptist stated in verse 31 and 33 “I, myself did not know him” he may have meant that he did not know that Jesus was the Messiah until he saw the sign.

John 1:35-51 Jesus calls his first disciples.

1:40 John tells that there were two men, but only mentions Andrew by name. The name of the other disciple is probably John the son of Zebedee, the author of the Gospel of John.

1:51 “heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending,” alludes to Jacob’s vision of a stairway that stretched between heaven and earth, with the angels of God ascending and descending on it (Genesis 28). In Jesus testimony, he is the reality to which the stairway pointed. Jesus is described as the bridge that reunites heaven and earth, restoring the relationship with God that was lost in the garden when Adam and Eve were banished from the garden. Though Jacob could only dream of the reunion, Jesus established the reunion.