College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Luke 9 - Introduction
Butler's Comments
Chapter Nine
THE SON OF MAN ANTICIPATING HIS EXODUS
IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:
1.
Are the instructions to the twelve disciples about evangelism applicable to all Christians (Luke 9:1-6)?
2.
Why did Jesus tell the twelve disciples to give the thousands of hungry people something to eat (Luke 9:13)?
3.
If Jesus wanted to know what people thought of Him, why did He tell the disciples to tell no one who He was (Luke 9:18-22)?
4.
Who would not taste death until they should see the kingdom of God (Luke 9:27)?
5.
To what extent was Jesus-' appearance altered on the high mountain (Luke 9:28-36)?
6.
How could Jesus-' deliverance into the hands of wicked men be concealed from His disciples if He had already predicted it to them (Luke 9:45)?
7.
Why wouldn-'t the Samaritans let Jesus and His disciples stay over in their country (Luke 9:51-56)?
Applebury's Comments
CHAPTER NINE
Outline
A.
Luke told about the extension of Jesus ministry (Luke 9:1-17).
1.
The first mission of the twelve (Luke 9:1-6).
a)
He called them together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.
b)
He sent them forth to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
c)
He gave them instructions for the journey: Take no staff, wallet, bread, money or extra clothes; go to someone's house and stay there until time to depart; if any reject your message, shake the dust off your feet to show your disapproval and their responsibility.
d)
They went throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
2.
The reaction of Herod to His ministry (Luke 9:7-9).
a)
He was perplexed by the rumors that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead, or that Elijah had appeared, or that one of the old prophets had risen.
b)
He had beheaded John, but who was Jesus? He wanted to see Him.
3.
Feeding the five thousand (Luke 9:10-17).
a)
The circumstances.
(1)
It was after the apostles had returned and told Him what they had done that He took them and went to a city called Bethsaida.
(2)
The multitudes were aware of it and followed.
(3)
He welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those in need of healing.
b)
The problem the twelve faced and what Jesus did about it.
(1)
As the day began to wear away, they came to Him and urged that the crowds be sent to the villages to find food and lodging.
(2)
He said, You give them something to eat, but they had only five loaves and two fish. Should they go and buy food for all these people, about five thousand men?
(3)
Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups of fifty. Then He took the loaves and the fish and blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitudes.
c)
The result of the miracle.
(1)
They ate and were filled.
(2)
There was taken up of what remained of the broken pieces, twelve baskets.
B.
Luke told how Jesus prepared His disciples for their ministry (Luke 9:18-62).
1.
The necessity of the cross (Luke 9:18-27).
a)
The cross in the mission of the Messiah (Luke 9:18-22).
(1)
Jesus was praying; the disciples were with Him.
(2)
He asked, Who do the multitudes say that I am?
(3)
They answered, John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the old prophets risen again.
(4)
He asked, But who do you say that I am?
(5)
Peter answered, The Christ of God.
(6)
Jesus made His point after charging them to tell this to no man by saying, The Son of Man must be rejected by the leaders and be killed, and on the third day be raised up.
b)
The cross in the life of His followers (Luke 9:23-27).
(1)
He said, If any man would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
(2)
He explained, For whosoever would save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, this one shall save it.
(3)
He asked, What, indeed, is a man profited by gaining the whole world and losing himself?
(4)
He explained this loss: Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man shall be ashamed of him when He comes in glory that is His and the Father's and of the holy angels.
(5)
In contrast to that coming, He said that some of those present would not taste death till they should see the kingdom of God.
2.
Complete dependence on Christ (Luke 9:28-45).
a)
Revealed in the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36).
(1)
It occurred about eight days after the lesson about the cross when Jesus took Peter, John and James and went into the mountain to pray.
(2)
As He was praying, a change came over His face and His garments became white, flashing like lightning.
(3)
Then Moses and Elijah appeared to Him, speaking about His departure to be accomplished at Jerusalem.
(4)
Peter and the others had been asleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two who stood with Him.
(5)
Peter proposed that they put up three tents, one for each of them, not realizing that they were not needed.
(6)
A cloud overshadowed them; they were afraid as they entered the cloud; a Voice said, This is my Son, my chosen; Hear ye Him!
(7)
After the Voice spoke, Jesus was alone. The disciples told no one what they had seen.
b)
Demonstrated in the cure of the epileptic boy (Luke 9:37-45).
(1)
On the next day when they had come down from the mountain, a man from the crowd asked Jesus to help his demon-possessed son.
(2)
The disciples hadn-'t been able to cast it out.
(3)
Jesus said, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? Then He said, Bring your son here.
(4)
The demon convulsed the boy, but Jesus rebuked it and healed the boy and gave him back to his father.
(5)
All were astonished at the majesty of God.
(6)
While they were marveling, Jesus said to the disciples, Listen carefully, The Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of men.
(7)
They didn-'t understand, but were afraid to ask Him what He meant.
3.
Necessary principles to direct them (Luke 9:46-62).
a)
True greatness explained (Luke 9:46-50).
(1)
The little child in their midst (Luke 9:46-48).
(a)
The disciples were arguing about which of them was the greatest.
(b)
Jesus, pointing to the child, said, The least among you is the one who is great.
(2)
The unknown miracle worker (Luke 9:49-50).
(a)
He was casting out a demon in Jesus name.
(b)
John said, We forbade him because he didn-'t follow with us.
(c)
Jesus said, Don-'t forbid him; he that is not against you is for you.
b)
Rashness forbidden (Luke 9:51-55).
(1)
Jesus, approaching the time of the ascension, set out to go to Jerusalem.
(2)
He sent messengers into the Samaritan village to prepare for Him.
(3)
They didn-'t receive Him because He was going to Jerusalem.
(4)
James and John asked, Lord, shall we call fire from heaven and consume them?
(5)
Jesus rebuked their rashness, and they went to another village.
c)
Complete dedication demanded (Luke 9:57-62).
(1)
A volunteer who failed to realize the necessity of following Him unselfishly.
(2)
One who was invited to follow who failed to realize the need to follow unconditionally.
(3)
Another volunteer who failed to realize the need to follow Him unintermittently.
Summary
The incidents recorded in this chapter may be gathered up under two general headings: (1) Those things which Jesus did to extend the influence of His ministry, and (2) what He did to prepare His disciples for their work after His ascension. The importance of this preparation is seen in the fact that He was depending on them to take His gospel into all the world.
The mission of the Twelve to the lost sheep of the house of Israel was a training experience to prepare them for their worldwide mission.
Rumors of Jesus-' miracles reached the ears of Herod the tetrarch. An aroused conscience asked, Who is this? Herod answered, John the Baptist whom I beheaded. His only thought was, Kill him too. A little later, the Pharisees warned Jesus to leave the district, for, they said, Herod wants to kill you.
People by the thousands were following Jesus wherever He went. In a lonely place where no food was to be found except a boy's lunch, He fed the five thousand on the loaves and fish. Even though He had worked such a miracle, He reminded the disciples that there was a cross to be borne, a cross for Him and a cross that meant self-denial for all who would follow Him.
The Twelve were completely dependent on Him. In the Transfiguration they were taught the necessity of obeying Him. In the cure of the epileptic boy they learned the meaning of faith in Him who had given them power to perform miracles. He taught them the meaning of true greatness, and stopped their wrangling over which one was to have first place among them. He rebuked their rashness that would have destroyed the Samaritan village and left the door open for the preaching of the gospel by Philip the evangelist.
Jesus dramatically demonstrated what His demand for complete dedication meant. He rejected the volunteer who offered to follow Him but who had not counted the cost. He rejected another whom He had invited to follow Him when he said, Yes, but first let me bury my father. A third one volunteered, but Jesus demanded full-time service, for, He said, the one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God.
Questions
1.
How did Jesus extend the effectiveness of His ministry?
2.
How did He train His disciples for the task of carrying the gospel into all the world?
3.
What made the difference between the power of the disciples to cast out demons and the attempts of the Jewish exorcists to do so?
4.
What were the disciples to preach on their first mission?
5.
Why take nothing for the journey?
6.
What did they mean by shaking the dust off their feet?
7.
What did Jesus say He would do before they finished the task he gave them on this first mission?
8.
Why did Herod think that Jesus was John the Baptist?
9.
What can cleanse an evil conscience?
10.
How does the feeding of the five thousand show the influence of Jesus-' ministry?
11.
Where did it take place?
12.
What lesson did Jesus teach the people after it was over?
13.
Why did Jesus tell the apostles to give the crowd something to eat?
14.
How did Jesus demonstrate the necessity of organization in carrying out His work?
15.
Why gather up the broken pieces?
16.
What was Jesus doing just before Peter made the good confession?
17.
Why did He ask, Who do men say that I am?
18.
Why would some say John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the old prophets?
19.
What does Thou art the Christ mean?
20.
What does Son of God mean?
21.
On what was the church built?
22.
Why did Jesus mention the gates of Hades? What is Hades?
23.
Why did Jesus restrain them from telling others that He is the Christ?
24.
Why was the cross necessary for Jesus?
25.
What does the cross mean in the life of His followers?
26.
How did He explain self-denial?
27.
What of the one who is ashamed of Jesus and His words?
28.
How was it possible for some to see the kingdom of God before they died?
29.
Whom did Jesus take with Him into the mountain where He was transfigured?
30.
What is the name of the mountain?
31.
What did Peter write about his experience in that mountain?
32.
Why had Jesus gone into the mountain?
33.
What was the meaning of the Transfiguration to Christ? to the apostles?
34.
Why were Moses and Elijah permitted to appear with Jesus?
35.
What did they talk about?
36.
Why did Peter want to build the three tabernacles?
37.
What is the significance of the message of the Voice that came out of the cloud?
38.
What explanation did Jesus make about the disciples-' question concerning the coming of Elijah?
39.
What had the disciples tried to do while Jesus was in the mountain?
40.
Why did they fail?
41.
What is the difference between the faith of the woman in the crowd and the faith which the apostles lacked?
42.
Why did Jesus refer to the faithless generation?
43.
Why didn-'t the disciples understand Jesus-' prediction of His crucifixion?
44.
Why did the disciples discuss the issue of greatness?
45.
How did Jesus answer their problem?
46.
Why did Jesus tell them not to forbid the unknown miracle worker?
47.
Why did the Samaritans refuse lodging for Jesus and the disciples?
48.
What did James and John propose that justifies their nickname, Sons of thunder?
49.
How did Jesus-' attitude affect the Samaritan situation later?
50.
Why did Jesus reject the man who volunteered to follow Him?
51.
What does this mean: Let the dead bury the dead?
52.
Why did putting the hand to the plow and looking back make one unfit for the kingdom of God?