Capernaum

The Love of God

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. – Mark 3:1-12 ESV

After dropping the bombshell statement, “the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28 ESV), Jesus simply walked away. Mark provides no details regarding the response of either the crowd or the religious leaders, but it’s safe to assume that it was a strange mix of awe, confusion, and anger. The people were fascinated with and strangely drawn to Jesus. But the religious leaders grew increasingly concerned about His growing popularity and blatant disregard for their oral laws.

Mark faithfully records Jesus’ remarks about the Sabbath and His relationship to it, then skips to yet another Sabbath encounter. Luke makes it clear that this event took place sometime later, but on a Sabbath.

On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. – Luke 6:6 ESV

Mark subtly reminds us that this was not the first time Jesus had attended the local synagogue in Capernaum.

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. – Mark 3:1 ESV

In chapter one, Mark described Jesus’ first visit to the Capernaum synagogue and the scene that took place.

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.…And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. – Mark 1:21, 23 ESV

On that occasion, Jesus created quite a stir by casting out the demon and restoring the man to health and wholeness. The people, who had marveled at the authoritative nature of Jesus’ teaching, had been treated to an even more spectacular display of His power.

Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” – Mark 1:27 NLT

Now, on yet another Sabbath, Jesus encountered a man with a withered hand. Was this just a coincidence? Had the man heard what happened the last time Jesus was in town and decided to seek healing? Or was this man a plant, purposefully placed in the synagogue by the religious leaders? This last option is not far-fetched because Mark indicates that these men “watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him” (Mark 3:2 ESV). So they could have encouraged the man with the withered hand to seek out Jesus on the Sabbath just so they could accuse Him of breaking the law.

To them, Jesus was already guilty because He had cast out a demon, healed Simon’s mother-in-law, and allowed His disciples to “harvest” grain, all on the Sabbath. Now, they were looking for additional evidence to convict Him as a serial violator of their Sabbath laws.

Jesus seemed to know that this man was being used and was nothing more than an innocent victim and an unwitting pawn in the evil schemes of the religious leaders. So, Jesus invited the man forward, then addressed His adversaries with an unexpected question.

“Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” – Mark 3:4 ESV

Jesus deliberately juxtaposed the law’s legal requirements with the moral obligations meant to accompany all of God’s commands. The Mosaic law was never meant to be a sterile list of dos and don’ts. God’s commandments were meant to guide His people toward behavior that reflected their love for Him and for one another. Later, some scribes asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” (Mark 12:28 ESV), and He responded, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31 ESV).

So when Jesus asked the religious leaders whether Sabbath laws were meant to produce good deeds or bad ones, they knew the right answer but refused to speak up, and their silence condemned them. They had no compassion for the man with the withered hand; he was just a means to an evil end. Their hearts were wicked, and their intentions were anything but good. They greatly desired to see Jesus heal the man, but not so they could rejoice in his miraculous transformation; they were hoping to use his healing as evidence against Jesus.

And Mark reveals that Jesus was fully aware of their evil intentions and angered and grieved by their actions.

He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. – Mark 3:5 NLT

But rather than lecture them about their faulty understanding of the law, Jesus simply turned to the man and said, “Stretch out your hand” (Mark 3:5 ESV). And as soon as the man did, his withered hand was miraculously and immediately restored.

When Jesus asked the religious leaders, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm?” He was asking whether doing something loving and beneficial for another human being could ever violate God’s commands. By healing the man’s withered hand, Jesus expressed love for His neighbor. In doing so, He showed love for someone made in the image of God. It would have been an act of hatred for Jesus to be able to heal the man’s condition and refuse to do so. The apostle John also shows why this kind of loathing of another human being is so dangerous.

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. – 1 John 2:9-11 ESV

And John provides further insight into the danger inherent in our failure to love others.

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. – 1 John 4:20-21 ESV

The religious leaders would have vehemently defended their love for God. Yet, John infers that their lack of love for the man with the withered hand was proof of their hatred for God. They failed to love those that God loved, including the helpless, hopeless, defenseless, diseased, and disenfranchised. By healing the man, Jesus expressed His love for God by loving a child of God.

Just a few verses earlier in his letter, John wrote: “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12 ESV). John is saying that when we love others, we demonstrate God’s love; we become conduits of that love. The Greek word that is translated as “perfected” is teleioō, and it means “to accomplish” or “to carry through.” God’s love flows to us and through us to those around us. And, in the end, He receives glory.

But we get a glimpse into the darkened hearts of the religious leaders when Mark records that they “went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him” (Mark 2:6 ESV). Rather than rejoice over the clear display of God’s power as demonstrated in the miraculous restoration of the man’s hand, they stormed from the room and began plotting Jesus’ death.

But while His adversaries planned and schemed, Jesus continued to express God’s love by ministering selflessly and sacrificially to the growing number of people who flocked to His side.

Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him. – Mark 3:7-8 NLT

News about Jesus spread far and wide, and people came from all over Palestine to see this miracle worker for themselves. Many who had made the arduous journey to see Jesus suffered from various diseases, disabilities, and even demon-possession. And Mark indicates that Jesus “healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him” (Mark 2:10 ESV). Jesus was literally mobbed by the masses of people, forcing Him to have a boat ready to aid His escape should the situation grow too intense.

Every time Jesus healed someone, He was manifesting His Heavenly Father’s love for them. He was living out John 3:16: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” But the greatest demonstration of God’s love was yet to come. And as He would later tell His disciples, the ultimate expression of that love would take the form of His own self-sacrifice.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:12-13 ESV

We have all used the expression, “I love you to death!” But for most of us, it is just hyperbole, an exaggerated form of speech intended to drive home a point. Yet for Jesus, those words were more than rhetoric. He would actually love the world to death. Rather than offering healing from a physical disability, Jesus would offer His life as an expression of love so the spiritually sick might have life.

And it should not go unnoticed that every time Jesus cast out a demon, these otherworldly beings testified to His identity, saying, “You are the Son of God” (Mark 2:11 ESV). These demonic beings recognized His divine nature, power, and authority and were subject to it, but were incapable of experiencing His love. They could confirm His identity as the Son of God and the future Savior of the world, but rejected His loving offer of undeserved atonement. They feared Jesus but showed Him no reverence, and acknowledged Him as Messiah but not as their Master.

Jesus would later accuse the Jewish religious leaders of being in the same camp with the demons, and operating under the influence of Satan. Despite their religious rhetoric, priestly robes, and love for the law, they were blind to the truth about Jesus.

“If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!” – John 8:42-45 NLT

But whether the man with the withered hand had been an unwitting pawn of the religious leaders, He was made whole because of the selfless love of the Son of God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Alone

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” – Mark 2:1-12 ESV

Mark has noted that Jesus “went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons” (Mark 1:39 ESV). One of the miracles He performed on his ministry junket was healing a man with leprosy. Jesus physically touched the unclean man, removing all traces of the disease and leaving him completely whole and ceremonially pure. And though Jesus had warned him to tell no one, the man couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Eager to spread the news about his restored condition, “he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter” (Mark 1:45 ESV).

Eventually, Jesus returned to Capernaum, a small town on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, which served as His base of operations. But as news of His miracles continued to spread throughout the region, the crowds grew in number and intensity. They had heard rumors that Jesus had “healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons” (Mark 1:34 ESV). 

These unbelievable reports created hope and longing among others who suffered from sickness and affliction. Their desperate desire for healing and restoration drove them to seek this miracle-working Rabbi from Nazareth. Mark indicates that they showed up in Capernaum, surrounding the place where Jesus was staying. This was most likely the home of Simon and Andrew, where Jesus had healed Simon’s mother-in-law.

The emboldened crowd pushed its way into the home, filling it to capacity and spilling out into the street. Jesus took advantage of this captive audience by “preaching the word to them” (Mark 2:2 ESV). The Greek word Mark used is logos, which can be translated as “word,” but refers to the communication of a particular concept or idea. Earlier in his gospel, Mark indicated that Jesus had picked up the ministry that John the Baptist had begun by “proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15 ESV).

So, those who had crowded into the home of Simon and Andrew were forced to hear a sermon from Jesus. They came seeking healing but received a lesson on their need to repent. The good news was that the Kingdom of God was near, but the bad news was that they were not prepared to enter that kingdom; they had sins for which they needed to repent. That was the whole purpose of John the Baptist’s ministry in the Judean wilderness.

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. – Mark 1:4-5 ESV

It seems likely that “the word” Jesus spoke that day contained ample references to the need for confession, but confession without forgiveness is insufficient. As John wrote in his first letter, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 ESV).

Confession and repentance, while necessary, will not provide anyone with entrance into God’s kingdom. Without forgiveness, the stain of sin remains, leaving the confessor impure and unworthy to enter God’s presence. The entire Jewish sacrificial system was based on the fact that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22 ESV). Sacrifices had to be made. An innocent life had to be taken. Blood had to be spilled.

So, as Jesus preached to the people, He likely declared their need for forgiveness. They came seeking physical healing, but He made sure they understood their need for something far more significant. In God’s sovereign will, an opportunity presented itself to demonstrate what Jesus was trying to communicate.

As Jesus preached, four men showed up carrying their paralyzed friend on a pallet. When they found it impossible to get through the crowd packed into the small home, they went to the roof. In desperation, they cut a hole in the roof and lowered the pallet into the room where Jesus was speaking. The noise and debris must have brought Jesus’ sermon to an abrupt end. All eyes in the room turned to watch as the paralyzed man was lowered into the room.

What happened next is significant. Mark states that upon “seeing” the faith of the friends who had lowered the man into the room, Jesus spoke. But before we look at what Jesus said, we need to examine how He “saw” their faith. These men had come with a specific purpose in mind. They had carried their friend to the home, dug a hole in the roof, and lowered him into the room because they believed that Jesus could heal him. Their faith was evident in their actions. They longed to see their friend made whole, and they believed Jesus had the power and authority to do it.

They had heard that Jesus could heal and were confident He could restore their friend’s mobility. But they didn’t know Jesus could forgive sin. Their pressing need was the healing of their friend’s paralysis, but Jesus knew that physical healing was not enough.  But upon seeing their faith in action, Jesus spoke. He turned to the man laying on the pallet and said, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:6 ESV). Rather than offering physical healing, Jesus declared him spiritually whole. He gave the man something no one in the room had come to receive, and Jesus’ words left the crowd in stunned silence. They didn’t know what to say.

But some Jewish religious leaders in the room heard what Jesus said and immediately declared Him a blasphemer.

“Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” – Mark 2:7 ESV

These scribes were anxious to see whether the rumors about Jesus were true. Could he really perform miracles? But when Jesus offered the paralyzed man forgiveness for his sins, they were shocked and appalled. In the minds of the Jews, sickness was a byproduct of sin. Sickness and disease were considered punishments from God for sins committed against Him. The worse the disease, the more egregious the sin that caused it. They considered this man’s debilitating paralysis a punishment from God, and yet Jesus declared that his sins were forgiven. They must have keenly observed that the man remained completely immobilized and unable to move from his pallet.

Jesus, well aware of the impact of His words and the accusation of the scribes, posed a question: “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?” (Mark 2:8-9 ESV).

In their minds, Jesus had committed the unpardonable sin. He had dared to place Himself on equal footing with God, who alone can forgive sins. But Jesus pointed out that forgiving someone’s sins was easy; anyone could do it. The question was whether He had the power and authority to do so. In their minds, the answer was no; Jesus had no business offering this man forgiveness for the sins that had caused his paralysis.

But to prove He had the power and authority to forgive the man’s sins, Jesus did the more “difficult” thing; He healed the man. But He made sure they understood the motive behind the miracle He was about to perform.

“So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” – Mark 2:10 NLT

Then He did something that left everyone in the room slack-jawed and surprised.

Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” – Mark 2:10-11 NLT

It required no effort for Jesus to speak those words; anyone could have done it. But when Jesus spoke, amazing things happened, and this time was no different than all the others. As soon as the words left Jesus’ mouth, “the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers” (Mark 2:12 NLT). In a split second, the man’s paralysis was completely gone; he had been miraculously restored to full health and vitality. If this man’s sickness resulted from sin, then his sins must have been forgiven. Everyone in the room could see that he was no longer under any form of divine punishment or condemnation.

Jesus’ actions did not confirm the scribes’ erroneous belief that illness is caused by sin. He demonstrated that He had the God-given power and authority to restore both physical and spiritual health. He could eradicate the effects of sickness and eliminate the condemnation of sin.

Jesus did not make the formerly paralyzed man sinless; He made him physically whole. The sad reality is that, in his newly restored state, that man went on to live a life marked by sin; it was inevitable and unavoidable. But by healing the man, Jesus displayed His divine power. If He could restore a paralyzed man’s ability to walk, He could also restore the spiritual health of a humanity paralyzed by sin, and that is why He came to earth.

The people “were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!’” (Mark 2:12 ESV). They were blown away by the man’s healing, but they missed the point Jesus was making. They saw healing as more difficult and more important than forgiveness of sins. The restoration of the man’s physical condition overshadowed Jesus’ renewal of his spiritual condition. No one in the room had come to receive forgiveness of sins; they longed for healing or the chance to witness a miracle. But all the signs and wonders Jesus performed were intended to demonstrate His power and authority over sin, death, and the grave. He was the Son of God and came to give sinful humanity a way to receive forgiveness for their sins and a restored relationship with God the Father.  Yes, He could heal diseases, but His real mission was “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10 ESV).   

“Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’?” (Mark 2:9 NLT). The truth is, both are easy to say, but it takes someone with power and authority to back up their words with actions. Jesus spoke, and the man was healed. He forgave the man’s sins, and it was so. Because He had the power and authority to make the man whole, both physically and spiritually. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The First Shall Be Last

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. – 3 John 1:9-10 ESV

After praising Gaius for his generosity and the hospitality he extended to the visiting evangelists, John points out the actions of another individual within the local fellowship. In this case, John has nothing good to say about this man, whose name is Diotrephes. In fact, John describes Diotrephes as someone “who likes to put himself first” and “does not acknowledge our authority” (3 John 1:9 ESV).

This church member was resisting John’s authority as an elder and apostle. He saw himself as a leader within the local congregation and opposed the visiting evangelists’ ministry. John accused him of refusing to “welcome the brothers” (3 John 1:10 ESV). Diotrephes had also tried to prevent anyone in the church from meeting the needs of these men, punishing those who did so by throwing them out of the church.

Diotrephes was the antithesis of Gaius. There are no other details regarding his life other than what John describes here, but it is not difficult to assess that this man was selfish and self-centered, motivated by a need for control, and unwilling to love others in the same way that God had shown love to him. Diotrephes saw John and these visiting evangelists as a threat to his authority.

Notice that John does not accuse Diotrephes of propagating false doctrine. This man was not preaching another gospel or denying the deity of Jesus. He simply refused to acknowledge John’s authority as an apostle of Christ and rejected the ministry of those who had been divinely gifted to minister to the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11).

Diotrephes was not teaching falsehood, but he was modeling an attitude of pride and arrogance that had no place in the church. Yet, his actions were just as dangerous and destructive as those of the false teachers and prophets who were wreaking havoc on congregations throughout Asia Minor.

In a way, Diotrephes was preaching a different Jesus because his actions were in direct violation of the teachings of Jesus. During His earthly ministry, Jesus used the Pharisees and religious leaders of the Jews as examples to be avoided, not followed. According to Jesus, these men had set themselves up as religious and civic authorities over the Jews but were actually deceptive and destructive. They were looked up to as leaders, but Jesus had warned His disciples, “don’t follow their example” (Matthew 23:3 NLT), and He provided ample evidence for emulating their behavior.

“Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’” – Matthew 23:5-7 NLT

For these men, leadership was all about authority and power. They flaunted their positions and gloried in their prominence. But Jesus went on to warn his followers:

“The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Matthew 23:11-12 NLT

His statement explains the difference between Gaius and Diotrephes. One was humble and willing to serve, while the other was marked by pride and an overwhelming need to be the center of attention.

This kind of attitude was particularly repulsive to John because he knew that it stood in stark contrast to the teachings of Jesus. He would have recalled the unforgettable occasion when Jesus confronted him and the other disciples over their conversation while walking along the road to Capernaum. When they arrived at their destination Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing out on the road?” (Mark 9:33 NLT). But they were too embarrassed to answer Jesus “because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest” (Mark 9:34 NLT).

So, Jesus had sat the disciples down and delivered the sobering news that “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else” (Mark 9:35 NLT).

One might think this message from Jesus would have left the disciples embarrassed and reticent to bring up the topic again. Yet, in the next chapter, Mark records another moment when Jesus had to confront the worldly outlook of His own followers; this time it involved John and his brother James. These two men approached Jesus to make a bold and brazen request.

“When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” – Mark 10:37 NLT

The audacity of these two brothers is shocking. How could they make such a request after hearing Jesus say, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place?” Yet, they asked Jesus to award them the two most prominent positions available in a royal administration. They didn’t just ask for seats at the table, they wanted the prime spots reserved for the most powerful dignitaries. Make no mistake about it, they were asking for the right to rule and reign alongside Jesus when He set up His earthly kingdom.

And the answer Jesus gave these two brash brothers echoed the message He had told them earlier.

“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:43-45 NLT

Their request was completely off-base and uncalled for. Jesus let them know that He did not have the authority to make that decision. It was up to God alone.

“I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.” – Mark 10:40 NLT

Not only that, the right to rule alongside Jesus would have to be preceded by a willingness to suffer as He would.

“You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?” – Mark 10:38 NLT

John and James had no clue what they were asking. They didn’t understand that the authority they coveted was only available to those willing to suffer and serve. Jesus used Himself as the model for godly leadership, stating, “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 NLT).

John and James were in it for what they could get out of it and so was Diotrephes. But Jesus had come to earth, not to gain, but to give His life away. He had willingly taken on the nature of a man so that He could die on behalf of sinful humanity. Yet, His humiliation was followed by His glorification.

When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. – Hebrews 3:3 NLT

John was appalled by the actions of Diotrephes. Watching this arrogant man revel in his self-exalted state of authority must have reminded John of his own shame-filled moment when he and his brother asked Jesus for the right to reign at His side.

John had come a long way. He had learned a lot since watching his friend and teacher die on the cross. His encounters with the resurrected Messiah had left him a changed man. His understanding of what it means to be a true leader had been radically altered by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God.

For Diotrephes, glory was all about power and position in this life. But the apostle Paul had a radically different perspective. His words to the church in Colossae provide a powerful reminder of the tendency within all of us to follow the example of Diotrephes. We are not to seek glory in this life. Instead, we are to keep our eyes fixed on heaven, where the hope of true glorification can be found.

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. – Colossians 3:1-4 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Blinded by Disbelief

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.

16 “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” – Luke 10:13-16 ESV

After commissioning and sending the 72 emissaries with instructions to deliver His message concerning the kingdom, Jesus delivered a public indictment against a handful of the cities He had visited during His Galilean ministry. He included the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, each located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. But why did Jesus condemn and curse these particular cities, and why did He choose to do it at this time in His ministry?

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem and had already entered the region of Samaria, which separated Galilee in the north from Judea in the south. The messengers He had just sent were instructed to visit the villages and towns He would pass through along His way to Jerusalem. So, that would imply that their destinations were all within the regions of Samaria and Judea.

Jesus had just wrapped a  lengthy mission in Galilee, the region in which He was born. In a sense, the Galileans were His people. Bethlehem, His birthplace, was located there, as well as Nazareth, the town in which He was raised. Capernaum had become His unofficial headquarters not long after He began His earthly ministry.

But this still begs the question, why did Jesus choose to level His anger against these three particular cities in Galilee? And this is not the only time Jesus made examples of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. Matthew records another incident when Jesus referred to these same Galilean cities in a less-than-flattering light.

Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” – Matthew 11:20-21 ESV

On this occasion, Jesus had just responded to the doubts of John the Baptist. Imprisoned by Herod, John had sent word to Jesus, asking whether He really was the one they had been expecting or should they expect another (Matthew 11:3). Sitting in a dank prison cell, John was having second thoughts about Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. Things were not turning out quite the way he had expected. And Jesus had responded to John’s doubts with a message that declared the prophetic nature of His role.

“Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.” – Matthew 11:4-6 NLT

Not long after this exchange with John, “began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God” (Matthew 11:20 NLT). With these words, Matthew provides us with a partial answer to the question as to why Jesus indicted these particular cities, and it all had to do with belief.

Jesus had done a great many miracles in the vicinity of these cities, but, despite their personal exposure to Jesus’ power, the residents of these cities had failed to repent. They had been eye-witnesses to the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry, and they had heard His message of repentance, but they had refused to accept that call. Instead, they displayed a stubborn resistance to the signs of His Messiahship and His offer of forgiveness for sins. They loved what their eyes had seen, but rejected what their ears had heard.

These verses mark a watershed moment in the life and ministry of Jesus. Up to this point, He has spent most of His time ministering in and around this region of Israel. His base of operations had been located in the city of Capernaum. He had preached His sermon on the mount not far from there. The miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 took place not far from Bethsaida. The people living in and around these three cities had been privileged to witness His works and hear His words but had failed to grasp the truth that Jesus was the Messiah.

Back in chapter 10 of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus had commissioned the 12 for their first missionary journey. And He had given them specific instructions to avoid any Galilean or Samaritan cities.

“Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.” – Matthew 10:5-8 ESV

Not only had Jesus limited their ministry to the Jews, but He had told them to focus their attention on those who would receive them and their message.

“And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house, greet it.  And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.” – Matthew 10:11-15 ESV

Notice what Jesus told His disciples. If the residents of a city or home refused to receive them or listen to their words, they were to “shake off the dust” from their feet.

To shake the dust off represented, on one level, shaking off the uncleanness from one’s feet. At another level, however, it is similar to a prophetic sign, representing the termination of all fellowship with those individuals or localities that have rejected the messengers along with their message of the coming kingdom of heaven. This in essence constitutes a sign of eschatological judgment, as confirmed in the following verse. (NET Bible study notes)

Accepting the miracles performed by the disciples while rejecting their call to repentance would be unacceptable. Physical restoration without spiritual regeneration would not be enough. As Jesus later told the Pharisee, Nicodemus:  “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3 ESV).

And Jesus had given these same instructions to the 72.

“But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you.’” – Luke 10:10 ESV

Jesus makes it clear that repentance is key to any hope of spiritual regeneration. And this applied to Jews and Gentiles alike. Everyone must change their minds and embrace their need for a Savior. The Jew’s status as God’s chosen people would not be enough to save them. Their confident assumption that their Hebrew heritage was enough was going to have to change. But Jesus knew that wasn’t going to happen. In fact, He asserts that the predominantly Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon would fare better on the day of judgment than these three Jewish communities. Jesus had gone out of His way to take the message of the kingdom to His own people. He performed the majority of His miracles in their presence. He displayed His power among them and declared the coming of His kingdom to them. But they had refused to listen. And just to make sure His audience understood the severity of His words, Jesus compared them to the infamous city of Sodom. According to Jesus, the wicked inhabitants of Sodom would have repented if they been seen only a fraction of the mighty works of God done among the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.

It’s interesting to note that Mark records that Jesus eventually removed Himself from Galilee and made His way to Tyre and Sidon (see Mark 7:24). He performed miracles there, including casting out a demon from a young Gentile girl whose mother was a Syrophoenician. Mark also records that when the woman begged Jesus to help her, He responded, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (Mark 7:27 ESV). But the woman, nonplussed by His response, simply said, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs” (Mark 7:28 ESV).

And, amazed by the woman’s faith, Jesus told her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter” (Mark 7:29 ESV). The woman believed, and her daughter was healed. She did not defend her status or become offended that Jesus had compared her to a dog. She simply expressed her belief that, in spite of her lowly status as a non-Jew, Jesus would extend mercy and grace to her. And He did.

One of the things that Jesus was looking for from those to whom He ministered was a recognition of their need. That is why He tended to minister to those who came to them with their disabilities, pains, brokenness, and extreme sense of unworthiness. That is why Jesus had said:

“Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” – Mark 2:17 NLT

A major aspect of repentance is the acknowledgment of sin and the need for salvation – a salvation outside of oneself. The people who came to Jesus for physical healing did so because they had either exhausted all other avenues or their ailment was beyond the scope of human help. They were forced to turn to Jesus in the hope that He could do something about their problem. But the same would be true for those who suffered from the disease and destruction caused by sin. That is why Jesus would offer what has become known as the Great Invitation, which we will cover tomorrow,

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28 NLT

The city of Capernaum was filled with God-fearing Jews who believed they were the chosen people of God and so, in no need of a Savior. But Jesus asked them rhetorically, “will you be exalted to heaven?” And, just in case they failed to understand that the question was rhetorical, He clarified the answer for them.

“You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.” – Matthew 11:23 ESV

They would end up rejecting His message and His offer of salvation. And the result would be judgment and eternal punishment. Their refusal to accept Him as Messiah would have dire consequences. They would remain unrepentant and sadly, unforgiven.

As Jesus prepared to make His way to Jerusalem, He knew what awaited Him there. He had already told His disciples that He would face rejection, suffer death, and be raised back to life. The greatest miracle was yet to be performed. Yet, even when Jesus had been crucified, buried, and resurrected, there would still be those who refused to believe. Like the citizens of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, they would reject God’s proof of His Son’s identity as the Messiah. And even the disciples would wrestle with doubt when they heard the news, “he has risen” (Matthew 28:26 ESV).

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Victory Over Death

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country. – Luke 7:11-17 ESV

After healing the centurion’s servant in Capernaum, Jesus made His way to the town of Nain on the northern slope of Mount Morah. Nain was located across the Jezreel Valley, just six miles from Nazareth where Jesus was raised. As Jesus and His disciples arrived at the gate of the town they encountered a funeral procession. Many of the townspeople were accompanying the grieving mother as she prepared to bury her only son. Because she was a widow, her son’s death had left her on her own with no one to help provide for her physical and financial needs. Her prospects of surviving as a widow were grim and that’s one of the reasons God warned the people of Israel to protect and provide for widows and orphans.

“You must not exploit a widow or an orphan. If you exploit them in any way and they cry out to me, then I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will blaze against you, and I will kill you with the sword. Then your wives will be widows and your children fatherless.” – Exodus 22:22-24 NLT

As the Son of God, Jesus shared His Father’s love and concern for the weak, defenseless, poor, and helpless.

The Lord protects the foreigners among us.
    He cares for the orphans and widows. – Psalm 146:9 NLT

The sight of the grieving mother stirred the heart of Jesus. It seems that He knew exactly what was going on and, moved with compassion, He spoke to the woman.

“Do not weep.” – Luke 7:13 ESV

There is no reason to believe that this grieving woman knew who Jesus was. She was distraught and overcome with sorrow at the death of her son, and a complete stranger suddenly addressed her and told her not to cry. But before she could question this unknown man’s identity or sanity, He stunned the crowd by reaching out and touching the pallet on which the body of the woman’s son was being carried. This unexpected action on the part of Jesus shocked the men who were carrying the pallet, causing them to stop dead in their tracks. What Jesus had just done was totally unacceptable behavior. According to the Mosaic Law, by touching the funeral bier, Jesus had just rendered Himself ceremonially unclean for a period of seven days. He had willingly and publicly violated the law of God. But Luke provides a subtle but significant insight into what was going on. In verse 13, he describes Jesus as “the Lord.” This is the first time in Luke’s gospel that he refers to Jesus with that title but he will use it often from this point forward.

The Greek word Luke used was kyrios, and it refers to a master or someone in authority. It was a title of reverence that was used by the Jews to refer to God Almighty. But Luke was applying it to Jesus. And years later, Peter would pick up that same term when addressing the Jews who had gathered to hear him speak after the miraculous events surrounding the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” – Acts 2:36 ESV

Luke is subtly revealing that the one who addressed the woman and touched the funeral bier was none other than the Lord, the God of Israel. Jesus was the God-man, “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15 ESV). As the apostle John put it: “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known” (John 1:18 BSB).

Jesus was God incarnate, God in human flesh. And when He reached out and touched the dead man’s funeral bier, He was expressing the compassion of God and demonstrating His authority as the Son of God. As the stunned crowd looked on in silence, Jesus spoke.

“Young man, I say to you, arise.” – Luke 7:14 ESV

The location of this event is significant and far from coincidental. Luke provides us with no explanation as to why Jesus decided to leave Capernaum and travel to Nain. But it’s important to recognize that, just south of Nain, on the opposite side of Mount Moreh, was the town of Shunem. Centuries earlier, in that small and insignificant town, a similar death-to-life miracle had taken place. The prophet Elisha had been summoned by another mother whose child had suddenly become ill. But by the time he arrived in Shunem, the boy was dead.

When Elisha arrived at the house, there was the child lying dead on his bed. He went in by himself and closed the door. Then he prayed to the Lord. He got up on the bed and spread his body out over the boy; he put his mouth on the boy’s mouth, his eyes over the boy’s eyes, and the palms of his hands against the boy’s palms. As he bent down across him, the boy’s skin grew warm. Elisha went back and walked around in the house. Then he got up on the bed again and bent down over him. The child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha called to Gehazi and said, “Get the Shunammite woman.” So he did so and she came to him. He said to her, “Take your son.” She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed down. Then she picked up her son and left. – 2 Kings 4:32-37 NLT

It’s unclear whether anyone in Nain made the connection between Jesus’ healing of the widow’s son and Elisha’s healing of the Shunnamite woman’s son. But it seems clear that Luke understood the significance and similarity of these two miraculous events. Jesus, as the Son of God, displayed far greater power than the prophet of God. As Luke will reveal, Jesus simply spoke and the young man was immediately restored to life.

And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. – Luke 7:15 ESV

Elisha’s miracle was no less amazing, but it was not immediate and required that he call upon “the Lord” (2 Kings 4:33 ESV). Jesus was the Lord. He spoke and the dead man came to life because, according to the apostle John, He is the author of all life.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. – John 1:1-4 ESV

With his raising of the widow’s Son, Jesus demonstrated His power over death and His authority to bestow life on whoever He so chooses. It’s interesting to note that, nearly three years later, when Jesus was preparing to raise Lazarus from the dead, Jesus told the dead man’s sister, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die” (John 11:25-26 NLT). Then He asked her, “Do you believe this, Martha?” (Luke 11:26 NLT).

With His raising of the widow’s son, Jesus was letting His newly chosen disciples know that He was far more than what they had been expecting. He was the Messiah, but He had come to conquer sin and death, not the Romans. He had come to deliver humanity from the inescapable and inevitable death sentence placed upon it for their rebellion against a holy God. The apostle Paul would later tell his young disciple, Timothy:

He has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel! – 2 Timothy 1:10 NLT

And Jesus would later tell His disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT). He is the source of eternal life and He proved it by miraculously restoring a dead man to life with nothing but a word from His lips. And Luke records that “Fear seized them all, and they glorified God” (Luke 7:16 ESV). They were blown away by what they had witnessed and immediately assumed that Jesus was a prophet of God. They had been privileged to see the power of God exhibited through a man of God. But little did they know that they were actually in the presence of God Himself. When they declared, “God has visited his people!” (Luke 7:16 ESV), they were saying far more than they realized. They were testifying to the validity of John’s statement regarding Jesus and His incarnation.

…the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. – John 1:14 NLT

And the news of this amazing miracle spread like wildfire. Jesus’ reputation grew exponentially and with it, the anger and resentment of the Jewish religious leaders. News of this latest inexplicable episode would reach their ears and their hatred for Jesus would explode. And they would not be satisfied until the one who raised the dead to life was dead Himself.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Unprecedented Faith

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

1 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. – Luke 7:1-10 ESV

After Jesus had completed His teaching, He made His way back into the nearby village of Capernaum, accompanied by His disciples. And Luke records that the very first encounter Jesus had involved an “enemy” of the Jews – a Roman centurion. Just minutes after commanding His disciples, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27 ESV), Jesus was going to illustrate exactly what He meant.

A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army who commanded a force of at least 100 men (centuria). Normally, the Jews would have considered the presence of a cohort of Roman soldiers in their community as an invasion of their personal space and a painful reminder of their subjugation to Rome. But in this case, Jesus was approached by the local elders of the village who asked Him to come to the aid of this centurion. It seems that this Roman officer had won over the people of Capernaum with his kindness and generosity. He had actually funded the construction of the local synagogue, convincing the community of his love for the Jewish nation. The elders refer to him as a man “worthy” (axios) to have Jesus come to his aid.

This exchange brings to mind a portion of the lesson that Jesus had just taught His disciples. In regards to loving their enemies, Jesus had added, “if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same” (Luke 6:33 ESV). Without even knowing it, these Jewish elders were demonstrating exactly what Jesus had been talking about. They had been approached by this generous centurion, who asked them to speak to Jesus on his behalf. His servant, who meant a great deal to him, was on the verge of death and he was hoping that Jesus might heal him. So, the elders, who had benefited greatly from this man’s generosity, were more than willing to take his request to Jesus. They wanted to stay on good terms with their gracious benefactor. But Jesus had described to His disciples a totally different kind of love. It was to be non-reciprocal and one-directional, not expecting anything in return.

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” – Luke 6:35 ESV

Yet, Jesus agreed to the elders’ request and accompanied them to the centurion’s home. But as they came within sight of the house, Jesus received a surprising message from the centurion.

“Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you.” – Luke 6:6-7 ESV

The elders had described him as worthy (axios), yet the centurion declared that he was not worthy (hikanos). This man refers to himself as unfit or insufficient to be in the presence of someone like Jesus. He was ashamed at the thought of Jesus entering his home, so he simply asked that Jesus heal his servant from a distance. Two things jump out in this exchange. The first is the man’s amazing humility. The second is his faith. And Jesus was impressed by both.

When Jesus heard the centurion’s rationale for believing in His authority to heal, He was amazed. This Roman officer used his own experience as a leader of men to explain his belief that Jesus could simply command and His will would be done.

“…say the word, and let my servant be healed.” – Luke 6:7 ESV

It’s clear that this man had heard about Jesus and was fully aware of the miracles He had performed. Perhaps he had been on the hillside that day as Jesus spoke. The arrival of “a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon” (Luke 6:17 ESV), would have warranted the presence of Roman troops. And it’s likely that this centurion had personally witnessed the miracles that Jesus had performed just prior to His sermon on the mount.

a great multitude…came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. – Luke 6:17-19 ESV

The centurion was convinced that Jesus had the power and authority to heal his servant, and Jesus marveled at the man’s demonstration of unwavering faith. Turning to the crowd, Jesus declared, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith” (Luke 7:9 ESV). Because the crowd to whom Jesus spoke would have been comprised primarily of Jews, they would have found this statement particularly offensive. Jesus was commending a Gentile and, to make matters worse, an officer in the Roman army. And as if to add insult to injury, Jesus was declaring that this man’s faith was superior to that of any Jew He had encountered, including His own disciples. And Matthew adds a second statement from Jesus that Luke chose to omit.

“Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 8:10-12 ESV

Since Luke had written his gospel to his Gentile friend, Theophilus, he did not feel compelled to include the second half of Jesus’ address to the Jews. But it reveals an important aspect of Jesus’ earthly ministry and the global nature of His redemptive plan for mankind. As Messiah, He would not just deliver the house of Jacob, but He would be a blessing to all the nations of the world, just as God had promised Abraham. Entrance into the Kingdom of God would not be based on ethnicity or the ability to prove one’s Hebrew lineage. It would be based on faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ. And this centurion had displayed a remarkable degree of faith in the power and authority of Jesus. Far greater than anything Jesus had seen to date. And responded to the centurion with a message that confirmed and commended his faith.

“Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. – Matthew 8:13 ESV

And Luke adds that “when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well” (Luke 7:10 ESV). The centurion’s faith had been rewarded. His servant had been healed. And the disciples of Jesus were left to wonder about all that they had seen happen. His words must have rung in their ears for some time: “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” (Luke 7:9 NLT). And to hear Jesus state that the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness must have left them stunned and confused. None of this made sense to them. It all went against their preconceived understanding of the coming Kingdom of God. This was not what they had been expecting. All that Jesus said and did seemed to contradict their long-standing hopes, dreams, and desires. But little did they realize that the longer they followed Jesus, their confusion would only increase. Yet, in time, they would grow to understand what Jesus meant when He said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40 ESV). The next three years would prove to be a mind-expanding, paradigm-shifting experience for the disciples. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

The Twelve

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. – Luke 6:12-19 ESV

Luke was the author of the gospel that bears his name as well as the book of Acts. Both were written to an individual named Theophilus, a close acquaintance of Luke’s. These two works were intended to provide Theophilus with a complete chronicle of Jesus’ earthly life and ministry, while also describing what happened to the disciples after Jesus returned to His Father’s side.

He prefaced the book of Acts with a note of explanation, informing Theophilus of the connection between the two works.

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. – Acts 1:1-2 ESV

Luke went on to record Jesus’ last words to His disciples just before He departed.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 ESV

The rest of the book of Acts provides a detailed history of what happened after the disciples returned to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit came just as Jesus had promised and the disciples were dramatically and permanently transformed by His indwelling presence and power.

As one reads Luke’s gospel account, it becomes apparent that he had a two-part series in mind from the beginning. He had likely been conducting first-person interviews with the disciples and other followers of Jesus. He had spent countless hours chronicling the events of Jesus’ life, all the way to His death in Jerusalem. But for Luke, that was not the end of the story, it was only the beginning. Jesus’ resurrection and ascension paved the way for the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the church – the Body of Christ.

So, in his gospel, Luke shows a keen interest in how Jesus chose His disciples because he knew these men would play a vital role in the future of the ministry. Luke is the only gospel author who states that Jesus called His disciples apostles. The term “apostle” means “sent ones” and Luke uses it six times in his gospel and 28 times in the book of Acts. These men would become the means by which Jesus carried on His ministry even after His departure. Jesus would commission them to carry the Gospel message to the ends of the earth.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” – Matthew 28:19-20 ESV

But how did these particular men end up with this weighty responsibility? What were their qualifications? Why did were they chosen to carry on the work of Jesus? Luke attempts to answer these questions as he recounts Jesus’ selection of the twelve. And he begins by explaining that Jesus spent an entire night in prayer before choosing the men who would become His apostles. Luke has made it clear that Jesus had many followers. He was constantly surrounded by large crowds and there were many who had begun to believe that He was the long-awaited Messiah. But after His all-night conversation with His Heavenly Father, Jesus called His followers to join Him on the mountain top.

And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. – Mark 3:13-15 ESV

Jesus set apart these men from among all the others, and they would become His inner circle. He would spend the next three years pouring into their lives and preparing them for the future ministry they would inherit when His work was done.

It should not be overlooked that Jesus went to a mountain top in order to receive direction from His Heavenly Father. And immediately after this encounter, He called the men who would become His apostles and began to teach them. This entire scene is reminiscent of Moses’ ascent to the top of Mount Sinai where He received the Law from God and then took it down to the valley, where he taught it to the people. Jesus was the new Moses, imparting the commands of God to the people so that they might live in keeping with His will and in a way that would honor His name. Jesus was the fulfillment of the promise that God had made to Moses.

“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.” – Deuteronomy 18:18-19 ESV

Jesus descended from the mountain accompanied by His 12 disciples and began to teach the large crowd that had gathered.

And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon… – Luke 6:17 ESV

Despite His confrontations with the religious leaders, Jesus’ reputation continued to spread. While the high priest and his fellow members of the Sanhedrin were busy trying to figure out how to eliminate Jesus, the people were flocking from all over Israel to see and hear Him. And Luke records that the audience consisted of two groups: “A great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people.” In other words, those who came were made up of the convinced and the curious. There were some who believed Jesus to be the Messiah and others who had come to see if all the rumors about His miracles were true. And, as always, there were those who came to be healed. For them, the debate over whether Jesus was the Messiah was secondary and superfluous. Their interest in Him was far more personal and practical. The diseased and demon-possessed had traveled all the way to Galilee in the hopes of receiving healing from Jesus. And they were not disappointed. Luke reports that even “those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured” (Luke 6:18 ESV).

For the first time, the 12 men whom Jesus had chosen, found themselves in the center of all the interest surrounding Him. They were crushed by the crowds pushing and shoving to get close to Jesus. Luke provides a somewhat benign description of the scene: “Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone” (Luke 6:19 NLT). But it seems likely that the newly appointed disciples found all of this to be a bit overwhelming. They were no longer spectators, standing on the outside and observing Jesus from a distance. They found themselves in the eye of the storm and probably wondering what they had gotten themselves into. An odd mixture of excitement, fear, and wonder must have filled their minds as they viewed the chaotic scene taking place around them.

This was just the beginning. These 12 men had no idea what was coming next or what the following three years would contain. But suddenly, Jesus turned His attention from those who clamored for healing and addressed the men He had chosen to be His apostles. And what He had to say to them would be like nothing they had ever heard before. As mind-blowing as His miracles had been, they were about to be blown away by the content of His message.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Which Is Easier?

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” – Luke 5:17-26 ESV

With this story, Luke introduces a cast of characters who will play an essential part in the drama of Jesus’ earthly ministry. For the first time in his narrative, Luke reveals the presence of the religious leaders of Israel who have taken a keen interest in this itinerant rabbi from Nazareth. Word of His exploits and growing popularity have reached all the way to Jerusalem, where the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of Israel was headquartered. The Sanhedrin was essentially the Supreme Court of Israel, made up of 70 men and overseen by the high priest. The council was comprised of men from the two main religious/political parties of Israel: The Pharisees and the Sadducees. Some of these men were also known as scribes or lawyers, whose job was to study, teach, and provide counsel on matters concerning the Mosaic Law.

Luke indicates that Pharisees and teachers of the law had come from villages throughout Galilee and Judea to get a first-hand look at Jesus. When he mentions that some came from Jerusalem, these were likely members of the Sanhedrin, sent on behalf of the high priest to gather intel on this miracle-working rabbi whose reputation was spreading like wildfire throughout the nation of Israel. Obviously, news of Jesus’ miracles had reached the ears of the high priest, but it was likely Jesus’ comments in the synagogue in Nazareth that had gotten his attention. Jesus had declared Himself to be the fulfillment of the prophecy contained in Isaiah 61:1-2. In doing so, Jesus was clearly claiming to be the long-awaited Messiah. This would not have been the first time that someone had made that claim, but the fact that Jesus was performing miracles and garnering a massive following had the high priest concerned. The last thing he wanted was any trouble with the Roman authorities. He and his fellow members of the council served at the discretion of the Roman government and they were expected to help maintain law and order. The last thing he needed was some unknown rabbi claiming to be the Messiah of Israel and leading the people in an insurrection against the Roman authorities. If the Roman governor received news that there was someone claiming to be the King of the Jews and stirring up dissension among the people, he would not hesitate to use Rome’s military might to restore order. And if that happened, the high priest knew he and his compatriots would be held accountable for their failure to control their own people. So, he had a vested interest in what was happening in Galilee.

According to Mark, this scene took place in the town of Capernaum and at the home where Jesus had taken up residence. A large crowd of people, including the Pharisees and scribes, had gathered to hear Jesus teach. It was standing room only. And Luke adds that “the power of the Lord was with him to heal” (Luke 5:17 ESV). This statement clearly indicates that Jesus’ miracle-working power came from the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. He was still fully divine and had not lost any of the power inherent in His position as the Son of God, but during His time on earth, He had chosen to live in full submission to the Spirit’s power and presence. In doing so, He modeled the Spirit-filled life that His followers would experience after His death and resurrection.

Luke’s mention of the Spirit’s power to heal was meant to set up what happens next. A group of men arrived, carrying a paralyzed man on a pallet. They attempted to gain access to the house but were unable to enter because of the crowd. So, they used the outside stairs that led to the roof, where they cut a hole and lowered the man down into the room where Jesus was speaking. Their efforts could not have gone unnoticed. Debris from the ceiling fell into the room and the paralyzed man was slowly lowered by ropes until he lay before Jesus and His dumbfounded guests. Each of the gospel authors comments that Jesus “saw their faith” (Luke 5:20 ESV). He was struck by the extreme effort taken by these men so that their friend could come into His presence. They obviously believed that Jesus could and would heal him, so they had gone to great links to see that their friend was restored.

It was the sight of their faith that led Jesus to say, “Man, your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 5:20 ESV). This statement by Jesus should not be taken as proof that the man’s condition was somehow the result of sin. That was a common belief in those days. Illness of any kind was most often associated with a curse from God. Even poverty was considered a punishment from God due to some egregious sin that had been committed. The apostle John records an exchange between Jesus and His disciples concerning a man who had been blind since birth. They asked Jesus, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” (John 9:2 NLT). Even they believed that suffering was the result of sin.

But Jesus had something far more important in mind when He forgave the paralytic’s sins. He was deliberately focusing His attention on the presence of the Pharisees and scribes. He knew that they would have seen this poor man as nothing more than a guilty sinner who had only gotten what he deserved. Like the disciples, they would have speculated that this man had committed some sin worthy of his paralysis. So, Jesus takes the opportunity to reveal something about Himself that they were going to find not only surprising but repugnant.

The man came for healing, but Jesus offers him something far more significant: Forgiveness of his sins. Whether this man realized it or not, his greatest problem was not his inability to walk but his incapacity to stand before God free from condemnation for his sinful state. Just like everyone else in the room, including the scribes and Pharisees, this man was guilty of sin and worthy of death.

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… – Romans 3:23 ESV

…the wages of sin is death… – Romans 6:23 ESV

Jesus was pointing to the universal problem facing mankind: Unforgiven sin that creates an impenetrable barrier between man and a holy God. The man’s problem was not his paralysis but his unrighteousness. And the religious leaders of Israel stood equally guilty and condemned. But in their self-righteousness, they were appalled by Jesus’ words. Who was this upstart rabbi from the backwater town of Nazareth and what right did He have to absolve anyone of their sins. That was the sole prerogative of God alone.

“Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” – Luke 5:21 ESV

And that was exactly Jesus’ point. He knew His words would light a flame in the hearts of these religious leaders and He also knew what they were thinking as they debated among themselves. Jesus had always planned to heal the paralytic, but He used the opportunity to reveal something far more important about His identity than His ability to cure diseases.

“Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” – Luke 5:22-24 ESV

Jesus wanted them to understand that His miracles were meant to be evidence of His identity. He was the Son of God and had proven it repeatedly by His displays of supernatural, Spirit-enabled power. And Jesus points out that anyone could say, “Your sins are forgiven you” because there would be nothing to prove the veracity of their words. Forgiveness of sins can’t be seen. But in order to prove that He had the authority to forgive sins, Jesus ordered the man to “rise, pick up your bed and go home.” He back up His authority to forgive sins by exhibiting His power to heal.

At the words of Jesus, the man experienced immediate and complete healing. His paralyzed body was suddenly rejuvenated and restored to wholeness. And he proved it by jumping up, gathering his mat, and walking home by his own power – glorifying God as he went. As expected, the crowd was blown away by what they witnessed. They were dumbfounded by the entire affair and could only respond by glorifying God. But it will soon become clear that the religious leaders were less enthusiastic about what they had seen that day. Mark records that they considered Jesus to be guilty of blasphemy, a crime worthy of death. In their minds, His claim to be able to forgive sins was nothing less than a declaration of His equality with Yahweh. And they were right. That was exactly what Jesus was claiming, and He had backed it up by performing a miracle that left a paralyzed man fully healed and completely forgiven.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Enemy Intel

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. 36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37 And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region. – Luke 4:31-37ESV

After having escaped the wrath of his disbelieving neighbors in Nazareth, Jesus made His way to Capernaum, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. As before, Jesus was invited to address the congregation at the local synagogue on the Sabbath. And, once again, those who heard Him speak “were astonished at his teaching” (Luke 4:32 ESV). Evidently, Jesus spoke with a sense of power and authority that was like nothing they had ever heard before. Luke does not divulge the content of Jesus’ teaching, but it seems likely that it would have been similar to what He had shared in Nazareth. It would have been natural for Jesus to read from the Torah, which contained the first five books of the Old Testament. But in most synagogues in the 1st-Century, it was also a common practice to read from the books of the Law and the Prophets. That’s why Jesus read from the book of Isaiah in his hometown synagogue of Nazareth. This practice is mentioned in the book of Acts.

Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” – Acts 13:13-15 ESV

Later on in his gospel, Luke records the interaction between the recently resurrected Jesus and two of His followers, who were traveling on the road to Emmaus. These two dejected disciples had been discussing the crucifixion of Jesus when He suddenly appeared by their side as they walked. They did not immediately recognize Him, but as Jesus walked alongside them, He “took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27 NLT). And later on, when they realized that they had been talking with the risen Lord, they said, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32 NLT).

So, as Jesus opened up the Scriptures on that Sabbath day in Capernaum, He may have used the Word of God to reveal His identity to them. But whatever Jesus said, Luke reports that “his word possessed authority” (Luke 4:32 ESV). The Greek word he used to describe the teaching of Jesus is exousia, which can also be translated as “one who possesses authority.” Jesus didn’t simply read Scripture and then share His opinion, He spoke with a sense of right and privilege, as the Son of God who was Himself the incarnate Word of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. – John 1:1-3 ESV

While the majority of His audience were amazed by His teaching, there was one individual who made the connection between His words and His identity. Luke reports that “there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon” (Luke 4:33 ESV). And in the midst of Jesus’ teaching, the demon within this man suddenly interrupted the proceedings by causing him to shout, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God” (Luke 4:34 ESV).

One of the first questions we should ask is why this man was in the synagogue, to begin with? If the people of Capernaum knew He was demon-possessed, he would have been considered unclean and unfit for entrance into this place of worship. Perhaps they were unaware of his condition, or it could that he entered the room unexpectedly while everyone was listening to Jesus speak. But regardless of how the man got there, the demon within him immediately recognized who Jesus was and revealed an awareness of why He had come. Evidently, the demon spoke on behalf of his companions, who had also taken up residence within this poor man.

While the rest of the audience recognized that Jesus spoke with authority, the demons understood the exact nature of that authority, and they feared the worst. The primary demon expressed their concern that Jesus had come to destroy them. They understood Him to be “the Holy One of God” (Luke 4:34 ESV), the Son of God and the Messiah of Israel. And the demons seemed to be aware that Jesus possessed a power and authority that was greater than their own. Not only could He dispossess them, but He could also destroy them.

But before the demon could say anything more, Jesus shouted, “Be silent and come out of him!” (Luke 4:35 ESV). And at the word of Jesus, the demons were cast out, causing the man to collapse on the floor, exhausted but completely unharmed. And all those who witnessed this encounter were left slack-jawed and amazed. They whispered among themselves, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” (Luke 4:36 ESV).

They had just witnessed the authority of Jesus on full display and were left thoroughly blown away by the experience. They had never seen anything like this before. But what they didn’t fully realize was that Jesus had just demonstrated His Messianic power and proven His right to rule and reign. He had authority over both the natural and spiritual realms. Even the demons were subject to His word.

And with this miracle, Jesus gave evidence that His claim to be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy was true. When He had read from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth, He had boldly proclaimed, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21 ESV). And one of the things Jesus had claimed He had been anointed by the Spirit of God to do was to “proclaim liberty to the captives” and “to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18 ESV). And the man who stood in the synagogue that day was now demon-free thanks to the Holy One of God.

And, as one would expect, “The news about Jesus spread through every village in the entire region” (Luke 4:37 NLT). The rumors spread. His reputation grew. And the interest in this rabbi from Nazareth increased with each passing day. But apart from the confession of the demon, most people were still unsure of just who Jesus was and what He had come to do. They were impressed with His power, amazed by His words, and curious about His identity, but not quite ready to deem Him the Holy One of God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

The Power to Love

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. – Mark 3:1-12 ESV

After dropping the bombshell statement, “the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28 ESV), Jesus simply walked away. Mark provides no details regarding the response of either the crowd or the religious leaders, but it’s safe to assume that it was a strange mix of awe, confusion, and anger. The people were fascinated with and strangely drawn to Jesus. But the religious leaders grew increasingly concerned about His growing popularity and blatant disregard for their oral laws.

Mark faithfully records Jesus’ remarks about the Sabbath and His relationship to it, then skips to yet another Sabbath encounter. Luke makes it clear that this event took place sometime later, but on a Sabbath.

On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. – Luke 6:6 ESV

Mark subtly reminds us that this was not the first time Jesus had attended the local synagogue in Capernaum.

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. – Mark 3:1 ESV

In chapter one, Mark described Jesus’ first visit to the Capernaum synagogue and the scene that took place.

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.…And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. – Mark 1:21, 23 ESV

On that occasion, Jesus created quite a stir by casting out the demon and restoring the man to health and wholeness. The people, who had marveled at the authoritative nature of Jesus’ teaching, had been treated to an even more spectacular display of His power.

Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” – Mark 1:27 NLT

Now, on yet another Sabbath, Jesus encountered a man with a withered hand. Was this just a coincidence? Had the man heard what happened the last time Jesus was in town and decided to seek healing? Or was this man a plant, purposefully placed in the synagogue by the religious leaders? This last option is not far-fetched because Mark indicates that these men “watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him” (Mark 3:2 ESV). So they could have encouraged the man with the withered hand to seek out Jesus on the Sabbath just so they could accuse Him of breaking the law.

To them, Jesus was already guilty because He had cast out a demon, healed Simon’s mother-in-law, and allowed His disciples to “harvest” grain, all on the Sabbath. Now, they were looking for additional evidence to convict Him as a serial violator of their Sabbath laws.

Jesus seemed to know that this man was being used and was nothing more than an innocent victim and an unwitting pawn in the evil schemes of the religious leaders. So, Jesus invited the man forward, then addressed His adversaries with an unexpected question.

“Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” – Mark 3:4 ESV

Jesus deliberately juxtaposed the law’s legal requirements with the moral obligations meant to accompany all of God’s commands. The Mosaic law was never meant to be a sterile list of dos and don’ts. God’s commandments were meant to guide His people toward behavior that reflected their love for Him and for one another. Later, some scribes asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” (Mark 12:28 ESV), and He responded, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31 ESV).

So when Jesus asked the religious leaders whether Sabbath laws were meant to produce good deeds or bad ones, they knew the right answer but refused to speak up, and their silence condemned them. They had no compassion for the man with the withered hand; he was just a means to an evil end. Their hearts were wicked, and their intentions were anything but good. They greatly desired to see Jesus heal the man, but not so they could rejoice in his miraculous transformation; they were hoping to use his healing as evidence against Jesus.

And Mark reveals that Jesus was fully aware of their evil intentions and angered and grieved by their actions.

He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. – Mark 3:5 NLT

But rather than lecture them about their faulty understanding of the law, Jesus simply turned to the man and said, “Stretch out your hand” (Mark 3:5 ESV). And as soon as the man did, his withered hand was miraculously and immediately restored.

When Jesus asked the religious leaders, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm?” He was asking whether doing something loving and beneficial for another human being could ever violate God’s commands. By healing the man’s withered hand, Jesus expressed love for His neighbor. In doing so, He showed love for someone made in the image of God. It would have been an act of hatred for Jesus to be able to heal the man’s condition and refuse to do so. The apostle John also shows why this kind of loathing of another human being is so dangerous.

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. – 1 John 2:9-11 ESV

And John provides further insight into the danger inherent in our failure to love others.

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. – 1 John 4:20-21 ESV

The religious leaders would have vehemently defended their love for God. Yet, John infers that their lack of love for the man with the withered hand was proof of their hatred for God. They failed to love those that God loved, including the helpless, hopeless, defenseless, diseased, and disenfranchised. By healing the man, Jesus expressed His love for God by loving a child of God.

Just a few verses earlier in his letter, John wrote: “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12 ESV). John is saying that when we love others, we demonstrate God’s love; we become conduits of that love. The Greek word that is translated as “perfected” is teleioō, and it means “to accomplish” or “to carry through.” God’s love flows to us and through us to those around us. And, in the end, He receives glory.

But we get a glimpse into the darkened hearts of the religious leaders when Mark records that they “went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him” (Mark 2:6 ESV). Rather than rejoice over the clear display of God’s power as demonstrated in the miraculous restoration of the man’s hand, they stormed from the room and began plotting Jesus’ death.

But while His adversaries planned and schemed, Jesus continued to express God’s love by ministering selflessly and sacrificially to the growing number of people who flocked to His side.

Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him. – Mark 3:7-8 NLT

News about Jesus spread far and wide, and people came from all over Palestine to see this miracle worker for themselves. Many who had made the arduous journey to see Jesus suffered from various diseases, disabilities, and even demon-possession. And Mark indicates that Jesus “healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him” (Mark 2:10 ESV). Jesus was literally mobbed by the masses of people, forcing Him to have a boat ready to aid His escape should the situation grow too intense.

Every time Jesus healed someone, He was manifesting His Heavenly Father’s love for them. He was living out John 3:16: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” But the greatest demonstration of God’s love was yet to come. And as He would later tell His disciples, the ultimate expression of that love would take the form of His own self-sacrifice.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:12-13 ESV

We have all used the expression, “I love you to death!” But for most of us, it is just hyperbole, an exaggerated form of speech intended to drive home a point. Yet for Jesus, those words were more than rhetoric. He would actually love the world to death. Rather than offering healing from a physical disability, Jesus would offer His life as an expression of love so the spiritually sick might have life.

And it should not go unnoticed that every time Jesus cast out a demon, these otherworldly beings testified to His identity, saying, “You are the Son of God” (Mark 2:11 ESV). These demonic beings recognized His divine nature, power, and authority and were subject to it, but were incapable of experiencing His love. They could confirm His identity as the Son of God and the future Savior of the world, but rejected His loving offer of undeserved atonement. They feared Jesus but showed Him no reverence, and acknowledged Him as Messiah but not as their Master.

Jesus would later accuse the Jewish religious leaders of being in the same camp with the demons, and operating under the influence of Satan. Despite their religious rhetoric, priestly robes, and love for the law, they were blind to the truth about Jesus.

“If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!” – John 8:42-45 NLT

But whether the man with the withered hand had been an unwitting pawn of the religious leaders, He was made whole because of the selfless love of the Son of God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson