Authority over the Virus! (LK 4:31-39)

In Luke’s gospel after being rejected in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus goes to Capernaum, in Galilee. News about Jesus is spreading and all are speaking well of him. In Capernaum, he teaches with authority on the Sabbath to the amazement of his hearers. Surely Jesus was teaching his liberating gospel to the poor and oppressed (Luke 4:1-14) Jesus proceeds to exercise his authority over the ‘unseen demonic realm’. In the presence of Jesus in a synagogue,  a demon evokes a man to cry out in a loud voice, 34 “What do you want Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you are—the Holy One of God!” 35 Jesus tells the ‘unclean spirit’ to be quiet and come out. This is exactly what the demon did and 36 the man was delivered and the people were amazed. 37 As a result, the news about Jesus spreads throughout the area.

38 Then Jesus goes to the home of Simon Peter where Simon’s mother-in-law is suffering from a high fever. They asked Jesus to help her, so Jesus bends over Simon’s mother-in-law and rebukes the fever. Simon’s mother-in-law is healed and proceeds to wait on them. Jesus rebuked that fever, the fever leaves her and Simon’s mother-in-law is freed to serve Jesus and his growing band of disciples. 

In this ‘strange encounter’ Jesus speaks to a fever in a similar fashion as spoke to the demon in the synagogue. Jesus bent over Simon’s mother-in-law and rebuked the ‘high fever’ which left her (Luke 4:39). This peculiar episode is interpreted in various ways by those from various Christian traditions. What strikes me and what I think we can all agree on is that Jesus had authority over this fever and by implication the virus that caused it. Consequently, let us know that Jesus has authority over this current virus pandemic. I want to encourage all of us that Jesus has ‘power and authority’ over this virus and we can all ask him to help us (Luke 4:38). Moreover, let us asks our Lord Jesus Christ to speak to this ‘corona virus’ that it might leave us and leave us amazed with the ‘power and authority’ of our saviour the Lord Jesus Christ; AMEN!

Pray: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on this weary world and speak to this wretched virus that it may leave us and leave us amazed by your ‘power and authority’.  

'Authority to Forgive' (Luke 5:17-26)

Luke 5:17–26 

¹⁷ Jesus is teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law from all around Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. We are told ‘the power of the Lord was present for Jesus to heal the sick’. For Luke, Jesus is the “Lord’s Anointed’ who was full of God’s Spirit. He was anointed by the Spirit at his baptism, led by the Spirit into the wilderness and he returned in the power of the Spirit (Luke 3:21-21, 4:1, 14). The ‘power of God’ to heal was present; and Jesus’ critics were present as well. ¹⁸ The crowd kept some men from carrying their paralyzed friend on a mat before Jesus. ¹⁹ Determined they get to the roof and lower the man down through the roof tiles into the crowd, right before Jesus. These Pharisees and teachers of the law from all across Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem, are sitting there. They appear skeptical of Jesus and more concerned that Jesus was misleading the people away from their own ‘kingdom of God’ agenda. They weren’t there to help or to learn but in a sense they were just taking up space!

These men took this as their chance to get their paralyzed friend in front of Jesus to be healed. Yet the Pharisees were part of the crowd keeping the paralyzed man from Jesus. They don’t seem to be moved by compassion for the common hurting people. The men take to the roof and lower their friend down in front of Jesus. ²⁰ Jesus sees their actions as a demonstration of their faith that Jesus could heal the man. After calling the man his friend, Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven”. We don’t know how this man who hoped to be healed reacted to Jesus’ statement, but the Pharisees and the teachers of the law found it troubling. They questioned Jesus and thought he was speaking blasphemy because forgiving sins was the prerogative of God alone. Not that Jesus, at this point in Luke’s gospel, was claiming to be divine but that Jesus was sidestepping the God ordains means of forgiveness as stated in the Levitical priestly and Mosaic sacrificial system. Jesus knows their thoughts and asks, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

²³ Now Jesus responds to their questioning of him with a question. Jesus asks what is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Get up and walk’. The first statement can be stated as a claim, but the second statement would have to be physically verified. ²⁴ So they would know that the Son of Man had authority on earth to forgive sins Jesus tells the paralyzed man to get up, take his mat and go home. The man got up and everyone who saw this were amazed. They were filled with awe, and they praised God saying, “We have seen remarkable things.”

Note that the Pharisees were an influential Jewish sect that had their set ideas about what was needed to restore God’s reign over Israel. They would have heard about Jesus and they were checking him out. For them the coming of the ‘kingdom of God’ would require strict observance of the Jewish law, the Torah, as interpreted by their oral tradition. Torah observance would move God to liberate Israel and judge their pagan oppressors. Jesus’ kingdom-vision was very different and these Pharisees had a critical eye on Jesus!

Others were there because Jesus taught with authority and God’s power to heal was at work through Jesus. The crowd kept those carrying their paralyzed friend from getting anywhere near Jesus. So they got up to the rooftop, altered the roof tiles and lowered their friend down. Jesus sees how much they loved their paralyzed friend and their faith in Jesus’ ability to heal. So Jesus says, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven’. How could Jesus bypass the normal way of receiving forgiveness? There was the Temple, the Mosaic sacrificial system, the Levitical priesthood, the festivals and the ‘Day of Atonement’. If anyone it was the priests, and especially the high priest, who could exercise this authority. What was Jesus was claiming?

Jesus, on his own authority, declares the man was forgiven and challenges the whole God-given system. Then Jesus used a calculated phrase and claimed the ‘the son of man’ had authority on earth to forgive sins. The phrase could simply mean ‘a human being’; but in Daniel 7 the ‘son of man’ was a used of the Messiah. The phrase is intentionally vague, but Jesus’ healing of the paralyzed man was proof of his authority to speak for God regarding the forgiveness of sins. Jesus didn’t just claim the man was forgiven, he enable the man to take up his mat and walk to evidence that Jesus had authority on earth to forgive sins! 

You Can Make me Clean! (LK 5:12-16)

 ‘A Leper Cleansed!’

¹² After Jesus calls Simon Peter, James and John to follow him in Luke’s gospel we find Jesus in one of the towns of Galilee. A man covered with leprosy and ‘unclean’, sees Jesus and falls with his face to the ground before him. The leprous man begs Jesus saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” ¹³ Jesus reaches out his hand and touches this ‘unclean leprous man and says, “I am willing; be clean!” Immediately the leprosy leaves and the man is made clean.

¹⁴ Jesus orders the man to go to the priests as a testimony to them and to offer the sacrifices Moses commanded for the cleansing lepers (Lev. 14). This would testify to Jesus’ power to restore a leper to the temple and to the community. Jesus also shows his respect for the Law of Moses and the Levitical system.  Jesus may have wanted the man to go immediately in the event anyone wanted to undermine the man’s restoration in opposition to Jesus. ¹⁵ Also in Mark we’re told that this healing increased the crowds so that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly (Mk 1:45). Luke doesn’t say that the man went against Jesus’ wishes but that the news of Jesus spread and the crowds came to hear Jesus and to be healed of their sicknesses. ¹⁶ We also learn that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

The desperate state of this man stands out here. Jesus was his only hope of restored fellowship. He lived in isolation. He was contaminated with leprosy and had to be isolated in order to not spread his disease to other people. Whoever touched him would become unclean and yet he begs Jesus to touch him. He is convinced that Jesus could make him clean and that Jesus would be immune to contamination. He believed that Jesus had access to resources that could make him ‘clean’ and restore him to fellowship with God and people. Ironically, Peter was aware of his own sinfulness and said, ‘Go away Lord’! This man fully aware of his ‘unclean’ status said, “Lord, … touch and make me clean!” Jesus did and the story depicts the redemptive and restorative power of God at work in and through Jesus!  

Go Away LORD! (Luke 5:1-11)

‘Jesus Calls a Sinners to be his Disciple'

¹ After healing Simon Peter’s Mother-in-law and many other as well as casting out many demons, Jesus goes down to lakeshore. Jesus visited a variety of places where the people were and here we find him at the lake with people crowding all around him. Some may have hoped to be healed; others may have wanted to see a miraculous sign, but were told that the crowd around Jesus wanted to hear the ‘word of God’.  So Jesus was teaching the people and they were hearing the ‘word of God’!

² The people are crowding in on Jesus and he sees two boats by the water’s edge; which the fishermen had left there while they cleaned their nets. ³ Jesus had been sent to preach and here we find him concerned that people could hear his ‘kingdom gospel’. Then Jesus gets into Simon’s fishing boat and tells Simon to push the boat a little from the shore. He does and Jesus teaches the people from the boat; the water and the shore making a kind of natural amphitheater. Then when Jesus finishes teaching the people he makes a peculiar request.

Simon had used his resources and his vocation to help enable Jesus to teach the people. Then when Jesus finished his teaching this prophet, Rabbi, and “would be” Messiah tells the experienced fisherman, Simon, to the put the boat out into the deep waters and to let down the nets for a catch. After a long night of fishing all night with nothing to show for it Simon puts the boat out into the deep waters and lets down the nets for a catch. For Simon this sounds rather futile since they caught nothing all night and the fish don’t feed during the day. Yet, Simon will do it not because it makes sense, but because Jesus said so! Simon is a knowledgeable fisherman and Jesus is not, but Simon listens and obeys what Jesus tells him to do! 

This prophetic teacher of ‘good news’ to the poor and liberation for the oppressed tells this experienced fisherman who has labored all night to no avail to set out in the deep waters and let down the nets for a catch. ⁵ Simon would likely have thought the request to be a waste of time but he did it out of respect for Jesus, who he calls Master. Simon says, “Because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Oddly, when Simon listens and obeys Jesus they catch an extraordinary once in a lifetime catch. ⁶ When Simon did what seemed like a waste of time because Jesus said so it resulted in the biggest catch of fish they had ever seen in their lives. The catch was so large that their nets were tearing. They couldn’t contain all the fish and so they call for their fishing partners in their boat and they filled both boats until both boats were sinking down.

⁸ The catch astonished Simon Peter, his companions and to his fishing partners, James and John. Seeing the extraordinary catch Simon falls down before Jesus’ knees. Evidently, Simon fell before Jesus’ knees since Jesus would have been surrounded by the fish in the boat. Simon can only say, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” The astonishing catch gave Simon a sense of his own unworthiness to be around such a ‘holy man’ like Jesus.  ⁹ Simon saw himself as a sinner who could contaminate a holy man who was so close to God like Jesus was. However, Jesus assures Simon by saying “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” ¹¹ So then we see that the pull their boats up on shore, and the leave all behind and they followed Jesus. 

Jesus' Authority in Capernaum (Luke 4:31-44).

³¹ In Luke’s gospel after being rejected in the Nazareth synagogue, Jesus goes to Capernaum, in Galilee. News about Jesus is spreading and all spoke well of him with the exception of those in Nazareth. So Jesus returns to Capernaum where he teaches on the Sabbath and those who heard were amazed. A big part of Jesus’ ministry was to teach God’s word which he did on the Sabbath in continuity with God’s purposes for Israel. However, his hearers were amazed because Jesus’ taught with authority. Jesus spoke as an expert with an experiential knowledge of God, and God’s plans and purposes. He would have been teaching in a way consistent with his liberating gospel to the poor, prisoners, blind, and the oppressed. Moreover, Jesus was proclaiming the messianic age had come, although God was temporarily suspending his judgment and was extending his grace to all who saw themselves as poor and in need of God’s grace (LK 4:1-14)!

³³ Then in the synagogue, of all places, there was a demon-possessed man. This man was welcome in the synagogue evidently an insider and was not a newcomer. He was not normally disruptive and nobody considered him peculiar or disruptive. So this demon inhabited this man and was undetected until Jesus entered the synagogue. In the presence of Jesus the demon now evokes the man to cry out. In a loud voice, the man cries out in a loud voice, ³⁴ “What do you want Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you are—the Holy One of God!”

The demon knows exactly who Jesus of Nazareth is and has a pretty good idea about what Jesus came to do. The man under the demons influence or the demon through the man recognizes Jesus the man and knows or otherwise suspects that Jesus has come to destroy him and the man under demonic influence knows that Jesus is the “Holy One of God!” The demon wants to know what Jesus wants and why Jesus was there (1 John 3). Surely the demons are aware that Jesus has overcome Satan’s temptations and that Jesus has come to destroy, not the gentiles, but the demonic evil that is oppressing people.

³⁵ Jesus tells the ‘unclean spirit’ to be quiet and come out; and that is exactly what the demon did. The demon throws the man down without injuring him, evidently the man is being protected by Jesus. Now free from this ‘unclean demonic spirit’ ³⁶ surely the man was happy and we are told that the people were amazed. They express their amazement by asking, “What is this teaching? With authority he orders evil spirits and they come out!” ³⁷ Now as a result of this, the news about Jesus spreads throughout the area. What is the result of the event?

Jesus leaves the synagogue and people throughout the area are talking about Jesus’ teaching with authority and that demonic spirits have to do what he says. ³⁸ Jesus goes to the home of Simon Peter where Simon’s mother-in-law is suffering from a high fever. They asked Jesus to help her. Jesus bends over Simon’s mother-in-law, rebukes the fever and the fever leaves. She gets ups and begins to wait on them. Jesus rebukes the fever, and the fever leaves and Simon’s mother-in-law is and immediately she begins to serve the Lord and his future disciple Simon Peter.  

⁴⁰ The word on Jesus is out; come sunset all kinds of sick people are brought to Jesus and he lays hands on them and they’re healed. ⁴¹ Demons are coming out of many people; and they’re shouting, “You are the Son of God!” Jesus rebukes them since they know that Jesus is the Christ. However, this is not the kind of advertising Jesus is interested in. Moreover, Jesus has a lot of work to do to reprogram his disciples’ wrong ideas about who Messiah is and what he came to do. In time Jesus will make his Messianic identity known but for now he won’t let the word out, particularly coming from demonic spirits.

⁴² At daybreak Jesus heads off for solitary place. Yet, the people go looking for Jesus and when they find him they try to prevent him from leaving. ⁴³ Surely they want him to stay and do more healings, but Jesus said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, for this is why I was sent.” ⁴⁴ So Jesus goes on a preaching tour of the synagogues of Judea where he proclaims the ‘good news’ of his ‘Kingdom of God movement’!  

Jesus in Nazereth (Luke 4:14-30).

Jesus' Sermon in his hometown synagogue in Nazereth:

The Spirit of the Lord had come upon Jesus at his baptism. The voice from heaven confirmed that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus had returned from overcoming devil’s temptations and from doing miracles in Capernaum (Lk 4:23). News about Jesus is spreading and people are praising him for his teachings. In his hometown synagogue, he reads scripture and claims that they are fulfilled in their hearing (Lk 4:21). Isaiah 61 was familiar to his hearers, but for them but his interpretation and application was unacceptable. They run him out of town and try to throw him over a cliff. Why were they so disturbed?

The devil had tempted Jesus to throw himself down from the temple to prove his ‘sonship’. The devil wanted Jesus to provoke Jesus to prove that he was trusting God to rescue him. But, Jesus refused to put the Lord his God to the test. Now before his home synagogue, Jesus launches his public ministry. However, what he proclaimed didn’t conform to their expectation of what Messiah should do!  Luke makes it clear at the beginning of his gospel that the rejection of Jesus is all part of God’s plan. In this story God validates Jesus’ identity by rescuing Jesus from the angry mob. They sought to throw Jesus from a cliff to his death, but Jesus walks unharmed through the angry crowd to continues on his way (Lk 4:10-12, Ps. 91:11-12).

God validates Jesus’ public ministry by rescuing him from the angry mod. But did they have such an angry violent reaction? Jesus’ hearers listen while he read Isaiah 61 and were amazed by his words. Some said of Jesus, ‘isn’t this Joseph’s son?’ Jesus reacts by telling them they’ll say, ‘physician heal yourself’. Then Jesus claims that a prophet is not welcome in his hometown (Lk 4:24) and illustrates his point with references to Elijah and Elisha. God sent Elijah to a widow from Sidon and Elisha cleansed Naaman, a Syrian General (1 Kgs.17, 2 Kgs 5). These two outsiders, a Sidonian widow and a leader of Israel’s enemies receive God’s favor while Israelites are overlooked!

Many in Jesus’ day understood Isaiah 61 as a text that promised that God would liberate Israel from their pagan enemies. They expected God to rescue Israel and condemn their gentile oppressors. Yet, Jesus left out the part of Isaiah 61 which talks about ‘the day of vengeance of our God’. The passage also speaks of Israel feeding ‘on the wealth of nations’ (Isaiah 61:2, 6). Moreover, Jesus references God sending Elijah and Elisha to bless those outside of Israel. Jesus indicated that God would suspend his vengeance and extend his grace even to Israel’s enemies. Evidently, they were so offended by the idea of God’s grace for outsiders that they ran Jesus out of the synagogue and even sought to kill him!

By saying that he was fulfilling Isaiah 61, Jesus meant that he was the Messiah and that he was bringing liberation for the poor, for prisoners, for the blind, for the oppressed and that he was ushering in God’s ultimate ‘Jubilee’! They expected grace for Israel and judgment on their oppressors, but Jesus’ reading of Isaiah 61 meant mercy even to Israel’s enemies. Jesus as a prophet was not accepted in his hometown and they even sought to kill him. Jesus stated that Elijah had passed by many widows in Israel to provide for widow in Sidon. Jesus also said that Elisha overlooked many lepers in Israel while cleansing Naaman the Syrian. They were furious and they drove Jesus out of town. They drove him up the hill to throw him down to his death. God enabled Jesus to walk right through the crowd on his way (4:27-30).

The Spirit of the Lord ‘anointed’ Jesus at his baptism and the heavenly voice identified Jesus as Isaiah’s prophesied coming Messiah. Jesus identified with John’s baptism and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to overcome the devil’s temptations. Afterwards, in Nazareth Jesus goes public but was opposed because he said the opposite of what they were expected the Messiah to do. They kick Jesus out of the synagogue, run him out of town, and try to throw him off a cliff! Jesus identified with Elijah being sent to help a singular gentile widow—and with Elisha cleansing one solitary gentile leper. In their minds Jesus was portraying Israel’s God as rescuing the wrong people. They wanted God to pour out His wrath on their enemies, so they were astonished at Jesus’ words of grace. What they wanted was grace for Israel and judgment for everyone else. According to Jesus, Messiah had come not to inflict punishment on gentiles. Jesus was extending God’s love and mercy to all who were poor and in need of liberation. We must be careful for Jesus may not validate our expectations because God rescues all outsiders who come to Jesus in need of God’s amazing grace.

Temptation Overcome! (Luke 4:1-13)

Luke 4:1-13¹ Jesus identified himself with John’s ‘baptism of repentance’. The Spirit ‘anointed him’ and the voice from heaven confirmed Jesus to be the 'Son of God' .  Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, moved out from Jordan, where Israel had originally entered their "Promised Land". Jesus is going back into Israel’s story and back into the wilderness. ² For a period of 40 days Jesus would face the devil’s temptations. Israel had wandered 40 years because of their unbelief, but now Jesus was going to get it right. Jesus, a real man, is famished after 40 days without food. Jesus is tired, hungry, dirty, sweaty, and in his physically weakness he faces the devil and his accusations. 

³ The devil brings Jesus’ identity and ‘Sonship’ into question. “If you are the Son of God” challenges what the voice from heaven had affirmed. The devil tells Jesus to command a stone to become bread as a way of meeting his own need and proving that Jesus really was the ‘Son of God’. ⁴ Here, as in Eden with Adam, the devil brings into question the good intention of God. Why is God withholding good from you if you are the ‘Son of God’? Jesus trusts God’s good intention and trusts God’s good intention that ‘man does not live on bread alone’ (Deut.8:3). Adam, on the other hand, believed the devil’s lie (Gen.3:4). Israel in the wilderness also failed to trust God’s good intention. They grumbled that they were better off in Egypt and they complained that God was going to kill them in the wilderness (Exodus 16-17).

Why is God treating Jesus like this if he is 'God's Son and Israel’s Messiah? The devil tempts Jesus to turn a stone to bread in order to meet his legitimate physical need? Hadn't God provided Israel ‘ manna’ in the wilderness? Yet, Jesus tells the devil that it is written, "that man does not live by bread alone" (Deut.8:3). In his need, his deprivation and his hunger Jesus trusted God and His word and refused to take matters into his own hands. Jesus finds no need to prove his ‘sonship’, but trusts God’s word.

⁵ The devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and all their authority and glory. ⁶ Man had forfeited this authority when he aligned himself with the devil in opposition to God in Eden. In a sense, the devil took man’s authority over this world away from him. These are the devil’s kingdoms and he can give them to whoever he wants. ⁷ The kingdoms to be recovered by the Messiah where still under the devil’s dominion. So the devil presents an easy alternative to God’s plan and offers a way of avoiding the struggle. He presents God as a ‘harsh taskmaster’ for all the devil requires is worship. Jesus is tempted to gain ‘authority and glory’ over the nations not by trusting God, but by submitting to Satan in worship. All Jesus had to do was to worship and submit himself to the dominion of Satan. Jesus trusts the goodness of God’s way and relies on God and His word as the only viable option for the ‘Son of God’. Adam believed the lie and aligned himself with the devil and Israel sought to return to Egypt. They failed to trust God’s good purpose, but Jesus said, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. (Deut.6:13, Ex.20:3)’ ”

The devil takes Jesus to Jerusalem and sets him on the highest point of the temple. Again the devil brings Jesus’ identity into question. According to Satan, if Jesus wants to reclaim the nations and be God’s king by trusting God’s word then Jesus should put his faith in action. The devil says, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, ¹⁰ for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels to guard you, ¹¹ they will bear you up with their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” The devil tempts Jesus to throw himself down from the temple and prove that the word of God is true. ¹⁰ For, as the devil said,“He will command his angels concerning you, ¹¹ they will lift you up with their hands, and you won’t strike your foot against a stone. (Ps.91)"

The devil tempts Jesus to put the validity of God’s word to the test by jumping from the temple so that God would send angels to miraculously hold Jesus up.  ¹² |Yet, Jesus answers the devil’s use of scripture by saying that it is not Jesus’ role to put the Lord God to the test. Jesus’ answer with scripture and says, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” ¹³ Now the devil postpones his temptations for a more opportune time. ¹⁴ So Jesus returns to Galilee, empowered and victorious over Satan at this point, and so the name and reputation of Jesus begins to spread.

The anointed Jesus, ‘God’s Son’ was sent into the wilderness to directly confront the enemy of God and his people. The first temptation (3–4) urged Jesus to (3:22) to perform an act of power to satisfy his hunger. Jesus responded by quoting the scripture. Then (5–8) Jesus was enabled to see the glory and the extent of the devil's dominion (Jn. 12:31). The world doesn’t ultimately belong to the devil; but if Jesus gives in to the devil’s lies than Jesus would have fallen like Adam. To align himself with the devil would be incompatible with serving God alone (Dt. 6:13). Finally (9–12), the devil tried to quote scripture (Ps. 91:11–12) to tempt Jesus to leap down from the highest point of the temple as a demonstration of Jesus’ trust in his Father. But to yield to the suggestion would have been to doubt that he was really God’s Son and that his Father was trustworthy. 

If Jesus is to be Israel’s Messiah, then how will he deliver Israel, and the world, from the grip of the enemy? How can he liberate the world from the devil himself? Jesus responds to the devil by quoting scripture from the story of Israel’s failures in the wilderness. Where Israel failed Jesus is going to overcome and become the world’s true lord. Yet, the path to kingship and dominion is humble service in submission to God and His word! God’s Son, Jesus, commits himself to the path of humility, service and even death on a cross. Jesus overcame the devil's temptation on behalf of every Christian. Now it is our plaee to stand by faith in Christ and reist by putting the truth to the devil’s lies. Resistance is found in relying on God’s love for us as stated in God’s word whenever our ‘identity in Christ’ is questioned by our circumstances and by the devil’s lies.

John's Baptism (Luke 3:1-22).

John's Baptism of Repentance

¹ Tiberius Caesar was the Roman Emperor and he was even worshipped as a ‘god’ in parts of the Empire.  Israel was in their land but they were forced to live under Roman rule. Rome had put Pontius Pilate in charge in Judea. ‘Herod the Great’ who was appointed by Rome as King in Israel was dead and his territory was divided among four rulers. Herod and his sons were illegitimate Jews and Roman collaborators. Herod Antipas oversaw Galilee and his brother, Philip, was in charge of Iturea and Traconitis. ² Annas and Caiaphas were from the same priestly family and were the High Priests appointed by Rome.

Into a world entrenched with Roman oppressors and Jewish collaborators with Rome came God’s word. The word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness around the Jordan River. John’s message is symbolically connected to Israel’s wilderness wandering and their crossing the Jordan River. These symbols depict Israel’s need for a new beginning or a ‘New Exodus’ in order to take possession of their ‘Promised Land’.

So Israel comes out to the wilderness around the Jordan River to hear John preach his ‘baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’ ⁴ in preparation for the coming Lord. The quoting of Isaiah 40 indicates that a total upheaval of the present landscape was needed to make straight paths for the coming return of the Lord. ⁵ Valleys were to be filled in and mountains were to be leveled. The crooked and rough roads were to be made straight and smooth ⁶ and all people would see God’s salvation. This was consistent with Simeon’s vision of the infant Jesus as ‘God’s salvation for all people’.  

⁷ John calls for baptism depicting the need for the forgiveness of sins and the need for genuine repentance. Moreover, John warns those coming to him for hypocritical reasons by calling them snakes and questioning why they were fleeing the coming wrath. ⁸ Preparation for the coming Lord would require fruit consistent with ‘true repentance’ and no mere claim to being a physical descent of Abraham. Claiming to be a child of Abraham would not protect one from God’s judgment. God was able to raise up from the stones ‘children for Abraham’.

⁹ From John’s perspective the axe was already at the roots; so that those not producing fruit would be cut down and thrown in the fire. In other words, the judgment of God is near, and John’s was an urgent call to life transformation. ¹⁰ The crowds asked John what they were to do and he said those with extra clothes and food were to share it with those in need. Those common poor people living in relative poverty where to pool their resources and care for one another.  

² Those tax collectors who were considered Roman collaborators where not to use their positions to exploit their fellow Jews. John did not say forsake their occupations, but he did say do not collect more than was required. They were not take advantage of vulnerable people. They were no to benefit at the expense of the poor oppressed Israelites.  In the same way ¹⁴ soldiers were not to force people to give them money or falsely accuse people. Rather the soldiers were to be content with their pay.

¹⁵ People wondered if the bold prophet was the Christ. However, John humbly confessed that that the Christ was coming after him adn that that he was not fit to untie his sandals. John’s baptism symbolized cleansing, but the one coming would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ He would bring the repentant into union with God and gather the wheat and burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. ¹⁸ John preached the ‘good news’ to the people, but he spoke out against Herod for taking his brother’s wife. ²⁰ Herod was no genuine king of the Jews and he added to his lawlessness by having John locked up in prison.

John Baptizes Jesus

John the Baptist message was ‘good news’ of  the return of God. The word of God breaks into a world under Roman dominion. The sons of Herod the Great’s were ruling under Rome and they were neither benevolent nor faithful Jews. The high priests were also appointed by Rome and weren’t much better. John brought a ‘word from God’ telling people to gather in wilderness by the Jordan for a ‘New Exodus’. This would require a radical reorientation of the present order; a genuine turning to God from the heart. ‘Return to me, and I will return to you’ (Malachi 3:7). Isaiah had talked about preparing the way for the Lord and John’s was a prepatory baptism of cleansing. Yet, John was calling Israel to a change of heart. 

This was no mere confession that one was one of Abraham’s children. In the coming kingdom people would care for one another and share what they had. Tax-collectors were not to take more than was required and soldiers (Herod’s troops) were not to abuse their power.and take advantage of people. John was pointing to the coming Messianic king of the Jews, who would bring God’s blessing and justice to the world. This was ‘good news’ for the people, but correction for Herod. By contrast to both Caesar and Herod Antipas, this coming king would restore God’s presence among God’s repentant people. He would baptize with the Spirit, gather his wheat and burn up the chaff. Ironically, this coming king identified with those needing John’s baptism, and he was ‘anointed’ by the Spirit and confirmed to be the ‘Son of God’ by the voice from heaven; King Jesus our Lord! 

The Boy in the Temple (Lk 2:41-52)

The Backstory: God had promised Abraham multiple descendants and a homeland to bless the world (Genesis 12:1-3, 15, 17). His descendants ended up enslaved in Egypt, but God rescued them through Moses and they began their conquest of their 'promised land' under Joshua and they took full possession of it under Israel’s king, David. They were to be God’s ‘holy nation’ (Exodus 19:4-6) and yet, instead of being a ‘light to the nations’ they became idolatrous like the other nations. The nation was divided, the North was scattered and the Southern kingdom were taken into Babylonian captivity for 70 years. Because God was determined to bless the world through Abraham and make a ‘Son of David’ king over God’s people forever (2 Samuel 7:12-14) they returned to their land under the Persians. However, they remained dominated in their own land and at the time of the Roman Empire they were longing for God to send a ‘conquering king’ to liberate them (Isaiah 42:1-9, 61:1-3)! 

The Boy Jesus in the Temple (LK  2:41-52)

⁴¹ We next find Jesus attending the Passover festival in Jerusalem with his parents when he’s 12 years old. Mary and Joseph were faithful to the law and they raised Jesus to be a faithful Jew. ⁴³ After the feast, they set out with their group of friends and family to return to Galilee. Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents didn’t realize it until had traveled for a day.  They would have been among a large group friends and relatives and felt that Jesus was safely among them without having Jesus next to them.

⁴⁵ Once they realize Jesus wasn’t among them, they return to Jerusalem without their extended group. They frantically search Jerusalem and they were unable to find him for three days. ⁴⁶ Finally, they look in the temple where they find Jesus in the temple asking the teachers various questions. ⁴⁷ Those listening to the exchange were amazed at his understanding.

⁴⁸ They’re probably worried and scared so when they see him in the temple among the teachers, his mother says, “Son, why have you treated us like this? We’ve been looking for you.” ⁴⁹ Jesus is surprised that they didn’t know that he had to be in his Father’s house. ⁵⁰ They fail to understand him, ⁵¹ but Mary treasured these things up in her heart.  ⁵² Then they return to Nazareth and Jesus grew in wisdom and in favor with God and people.

Jewish men were required to attend all three annual festivals in Jerusalem, but only the Passover was strictly observed. Joseph took his wife annually, and they brought Jesus when he was twelve years of old. At 12  a Jewish boy would normally be instructed and could entry the religious community. After they celebrated the feast, Mary and Joseph left with their group of extended family and friends. Yet, Jesus had stayed behind, so they return to Jerusalem without their group.

At Passover time, the city of 25,000 would swell with up to a 100,000 visitors. Jerusalem would become a potentially scary place with plenty of soldiers, traders and other strangers there. Mary and Joseph’s three day search ends with Jesus among the teachers in the temple. Mary blames Jesus, but Jesus gently rebukes his mother saying, ‘I had to be in my father’s house.’ Even at that early age Jesus’ relationship with God  was his priority. They didn’t understand him, but Jesus was careful to obey his parents. His comments were beyond their understanding, but ary treasured it up in her heart.

In Luke's gospel the Temple is central. Zechariah had his vision in the temple. Simeon and Anna, find Jesus in the temple and here Jesus is in the temple discussing things with the teachers of the law. Moreover, Luke's travel narrative will progress towards the Jerusalem Temple (9:51-19:48). Then, after Jesus' resurrection and ascencion Luke’s gospel will end with the disciples in the Temple praising God at the dawn of a new age (24:50-53). 

The Infant in the Temple (LK 2:22-40)

The Backstory: God had promised Abraham multiple descendants and a homeland to bless the world (Genesis 12:1-3, 15, 17). His descendants ended up enslaved in Egypt, but God rescued them through Moses. They took full possession of their land under Israel’s king, David. They were to be God’s ‘holy nation’ (Exodus 19:4-6) and yet, instead of being a ‘light to the nations’ they became idolatrous like the other nations. The nation was divided, the North was scattered and the Southern kingdom were taken into Babylonian captivity for 70 years. Because God was determined to bless the world through Abraham and make a ‘Son of David’ king over God’s people forever (2 Samuel 7:12-14) they returned to their land under the Persians. However, they remained dominated in their own land and at the time of the Roman Empire they were longing for God to send a ‘conquering king’ to liberate them (Isaiah 42:1-9, 61:1-3)! 

The Infant Jesus in the Temple (LK  2:22-40)

²¹ Jesus’ parents were faithful to circumcise Jesus on the eighth day. They follow the purification procedure as stated in the Law. They are faithful to name their child, Jesus, the name given them by the angel Gabriel. Jesus is the Greek version of Joshua. In a sense, Jesus is the new version of Joshua, who will lead ‘true Israel’ into the fulfillment of God’s promises. Mary and Joseph’s obedience to ‘the Law’ led them to the Jerusalem temple, the dwelling-place of God among his people. They dedicated their firstborn at the temple according to the Law and they offered a sacrifice acceptable for poor people. 

²⁵ Then we find the elderly Simeon, who has been led by the Spirit into the temple courtyard and to Mary and Joseph. Simeon was waiting for the ‘consolation of Israel’. The Spirit was upon Simeon and had told him that he would see the Lord’s Christ before he died. So the Spirit led Simeon to the temple and to Jesus. ²⁸ Simeon takes the infant Jesus in his arms and sees in Jesus, the ‘Lord’s salvation’ which has been prepared by God in the sight of all people. Now Simeon says he can pass away in peace for he sees Jesus as the savior ³¹ of all people; ³² and a ‘light to Gentiles’ and ‘glory of Israel’.”

³³ Mary and Joseph knew what Gabriel had told them about Jesus, but here they’re amazed that Simeon has this knowledge. ³⁴Simeon blesses the family and tells Mary directly that the child will cause the ‘rise and fall’ of many in Israel and that many will speak against the child. ³⁵ Mary’s child will ‘reveal the thoughts of many’ and a sword will pierce Mary’s soul as well. 

³⁶ Then an extremely elderly prophetess, Anna, approaches the couple. Anna worships in the temple continually. ³⁸ Seeing the child see thanks God and speaks about the child to those in the temple court who were waiting for Jerusalem to be liberated. ³⁹ Joseph and Mary do what ‘the Law’ requires and return home to Nazareth in Galilee. ⁴⁰ The child Jesus grew, became strong and was blessed by God’s grace.