Proverbs 31:1-9 - Sayings of King Lemuel

Again, King Lemuel is unknown in the Bible and is most likely a non-Israelite. Job is the most well-known non-Israelite in the Old Testament and while Israel was undoubtedly the focus of God's work in the Old Testament, it is not restricted to Israel.

These sayings are actually words taught to him by his mother, and are largely a series of warnings.

The first warning is against chasing after women. You only need to open a newspaper, or look on a news website, to see a fair selection of people who have made fools of themselves with women. 

The second warning is against drink. Rulers should not get drunk, for then they may make stupid decisions and many people will be affected by these decisions.Verses 6 and 7 seem to say that the poor and downtrodden should get drunk so they can forget their terrible state. I don't think we should take this as positive advice, but as a commentary on what drink (and in our day drugs as well) do in the social scheme of things. They are seen as a way of escaping the terrible or hopeless life that some have. In the end, they lead only to death.

This little section closes with positive advice, instruction on what rulers are meant to do. This is to speak up and act on behalf of the weak and destitute.

Proverbs 30 - Sayings of Agur

No one knows who Agur was, nor for that matter who Ithiel or Jakeh were. He may or may not have been an Israelite. The fact that he is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible perhaps implies that he was not an Israelite.

"I am weary God, but I can prevail". This perhaps sums up the state we are in a lot of the time. We are not always overflowing with joy and a sense of victory, but neither have we lost all hope. We are finding things difficult, but we know that our God is faithful so we will get through.

In verses 2-4 he admits his unworthiness before God and his inability to know God be his own efforts. This is something we all need to admit. The reference to God's son in verse 4 is somewhat enigmatic.

Verse 5,6 express praise for God's word, and the warning in verse 6 is echoed in Revelation 22:18,19. We need to make the word of God the light for our path.

Verse 7-9 express a realistic attitude to wealth. There are dangers in having too much or too little. The human heart is sinful and in any situation it can find the path of sin. Indeed, in these verses there are allusions to the Lord's prayer. He asks for daily bread, and is in effect asking God to not lead him into temptation.

Verse 10-14 are an honest description of the presence of evil n the world.

Verses 15-31 offer various reflections on life.

Verses 32,33 are a timely warning.

Proverbs 29 - Sayings of Solomon (5)

Many of these sayings contrast the righteous and the wicked, contrasting both the nature of the righteous and wicked people, and the effect they have on the nation. The reality of verse 2 can be seen all around us. For a nation to prosper it needs righteous rulers, when corrupt people rule the wealth of a nation is quickly squandered.

The righteous have concern for the poor, while the wicked do not. Righteous rule brings stability, corrupt rule brings chaos.

There is also conflict between the righteous and the wicked. The wicked seek to kill or otherwise undermine the righteous. 

The key thing to remember is that the Lord watches over all. All of us were created by Him, and He will intervene. The wicked will always be brought down eventually. It is the kingdom of righteousness that is an everlasting kingdom.

A key to instilling righteousness in a nation is to discipline our children properly. That is why the devil has been so keen to undermine discipline, and every educationalist and sociologist who has gone along with the anti-discipline agenda has been aiding the devil in his work.

Proverbs 28 - Sayings of Solomon (4)

Sin brings with it a diminution of our soul, one aspect of this is the fear it brings. No matter how much someone may deny it, deep down we all know that sin is wrong and that judgement is bound to come our way. Hence the fear. Righteousness, conversely, produces a confidence and boldness.

We see the truth of verse 2 in many situations where countries or institutions become divided. Rebellion against God shows itself in rebellion against each other.

Verse 4 is very apt for our time where it is popular to praise evil. Perhaps the most prominent example of our age is the whole matter of so-called gay marriage and homosexuality. We have now reached the stage where homosexuality is praised and to even gently question the wisdom of same-sex "marriage" is to invite abuse. However, this direction is promoted by those who forsake instruction, it is the wise who question it. As verse 5 says, we need to realise that evildoers do not understand what is right.

In fact, this chapter places a great emphasis on those who are willing to learn and those who are not. Verse 13 also makes it clear the difference between those who conceal their sins and those who confess them.

All this leads to the difference between well-run nations and badly run ones. The moral character of our leaders does matter.

So the wise person is one who will

• Accept instruction
• Do what is right
• Confess their sins
• Give generously

There are two key reasons why this works. One is a direct causal effect, the other is that God is intimately involved in the running of the world.

Proverbs 27 - Sayings of Solomon (3)

A fool's provocation is a heavy burden. If we are sensible and someone makes a reasonable objection to something we do, then we can either make a reasonable response countering the argument, or accept the objection and make some adjustment to our actions. But when idiotic objections are raised this just cause trouble, especially in our own time when our legal system seems to have no conception of common sense.

A key feature of a wise man is the ability to accept just criticism. 

Verse 10 highlights the value of friendship. We need to hold the importance of family and friends in the right balance.

Blessings given in the wrong context or time are just like a curse. 

Good friends will sharpen each other. The ability to accept disagreement and to thrive on it is a key to a strong relationship. When we are obsessed with being right all the time, then that is a sign of immaturity.

Death always wants more, just as do our eyes. We need to recognise this fact. When we have made a choice, whether it be a wife, a job, some material object, then there will always be the temptation than some other choice might have been better. We need to live with the decision we have made and make that work. In that path lies contentment.

We need to make proper provision.

Proverbs 26 - Sayings of Solomon (2)

It is singularly inappropriate to honour fools, yet if we look at our society we can see many examples of fools being lauded.

An undeserved curse will not come to rest. Shimei (the stone thrower) wrongly cursed David to no effect (2 Sam 16:8,12). We need to remember this, for as we live in an increasingly unchristian and anti-Christian society one of the tactics of the enemy is to make false accusations and false charges. They will come to nothing.

Force is the only way to make fools go in the right direction.

Verses 4 and 5 are fantastic, for at face value they are completely contradictory. However, those who claim that these are contradictory only demonstrate that they themselves are fools! Proverbs is not a set of rules, it is wisdom. There are times when it is best to ignore fools, for answering them will only make us partake in their foolishness. At other times we should answer them, showing the self-contradiction in their foolish arguments. Wisdom is knowing when to take which line.

In fact the whole of the first twelve verses are laying into fools. The fools we have about are not just idiots but include many so-called sophisticated and learned people. 

Next up for attack are sluggards, the lazy. 

The chapter finishes with several proverbs concerning the deceitful tongue. God speaks only truth, and with a word He brought the universe into being. Satan is the father of lies, and a key element of our falleness is a proliferation of lies and falsehood.

Proverbs 25 - Sayings of Solomon (1)

These sayings of Solomon were put together by Hezekiah's men. Hezekiah led a revival in Judah and this included reverence for the words of David (2 Chron 29:30). So presumably Hezekiah's men searched out the various records to gather together these sayings of Solomon.

There are things that only God knows, it is a kings glory to search things out. What does this mean? There are two equally wrong approaches to wisdom. One is to assume we cannot know anything, or that it is wrong to seek to understand how the world works. Some people who give Christianity a bad name tend towards this, though not many. The more common error, and the one that is most prevalent in our secular society, is to assume that we either know everything or can know everything. The Biblical approach is to seek to understand, knowing the limits of our human minds. Ie, as it says elsewhere in Proverbs, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

We seek to purify metals before using them. In the same way corruption needs to be removed from a regime, then a solid kingdom can be established.

Jesus told a parable along the same lines of v6,7 (Luke 14:7,8).

We should be cautious in bringing disputes and accusations to light. We can often cause more trouble, including for ourselves, than we imagine.

Good decisions and right rebukes are very valuable.

We should handle riches carefully, if we take too much they will just make us sick. Equally we should not overstay our welcome anywhere. See how practical Proverbs is.

V18-20 warn against various kinds of duplicitousness.

Paul quotes v21,22 in Romans 12.

The chapter closes with various sayings.

Proverbs 24:23-34 - Extra sayings of the wise

After the main batch of thirty sayings of the wise we get a brief encore.

We should not show partiality. The Law actually has warnings against favouring either the rich or the poor. 

We see the truth of verse 24 in the news every so often when our wonderful judges, often misguided by the human rights agenda, set the guilty free. We need to convict the guilty, and this brings blessing. Now sometimes this is portrayed as revenge. It is not revenge but justice. When a society fails to deliver justice it is heading for a breakdown.

Honest answers can be rare, but are most welcome when someone simply speaks the truth.

Verse 27 is a plea to be organised and to plan properly. In the context of the time it the outdoor work would be essential to ensure that food was available.

Verses 28 and 29 again speak of the importance of speaking the truth. An accusation is not something to be used to make political gain of some sort, but only if there is just cause. Neither are we to seek to get our own back. Jesus' words in the sermon on the mount about loving our enemies and the like actually do have a foundation in the Old Testament.

Finally we are warned against laziness and the serious effects that it can have.

Proverbs 24:1-22 - A word to the wise(3)

We now come to the final ten sayings of the wise.

We should not envy the wicked, no matter how successful they may seem, for their hearts are utterly corrupt.

Wisdom, understanding and knowledge build a great house.

Wisdom is vital to winning a battle. Power on its own is not enough.

Foolishness and evil will be found out.

We often say "things were too difficult", but strength that is worth something will enable us to overcome in times of difficulty.

Wisdom is to be greatly treasured.

The righteous may fall, but they will rise again, but when the wicked fall that is the end of them.

We should not gloat over our enemies when they fall, for the Lord is watching over everyone. Note that the Lord has concern for our "enemies" as well as for us.

There will be times when we see the wicked prosper, but we should not fret, nor should we be envious, for their "victory" is purely transitory.

It is very dangerous to join in a rebellion.

Proverbs 23 - A word to the wise (2)

The sayings of the wise continue.

When with the rich or rulers we should not become engrossed in the trappings of wealth or power, for these things are deceptive.

The next saying is also related to food and drink, this time advising us to be aware when people are just being polite but are really grudging. 

There is no point trying to give wisdom to a fool, this is reminiscent of Jesus' words about not giving pearls to pigs.

It might seem that ancient boundary stones or the rights of the fatherless can be easily overlooked. This is not so, for God is watching.

Instead we should apply our hearts to instruction. 

Discipline is important. Our society is very much against discipline, indeed it seems to have no concept of it. The outcome is that people are actually treated worse. 

Wisdom is the quality we should value most in our children. 

We should not be taken in by the apparent success of evil, it will not last. 

Too much drink is dangerous, leading to poverty.

Righteousness and respect for parents is valuable.

We should beware of the adulterous woman, she may look tempting but will lead to death.

This chapter closes with a vivid warning against the dangers of drink.

Proverbs 22:17-29 - A word to the wise (1)

We now come to the "thirty sayings of the wise". We are to pay attention and to apply our heart. Now in the Bible heart does not mean just our emotions but includes our whole being. 

The reason these sayings are given is so that we may trust the Lord. Worldly wisdom will leads us away from God, godly wisdom will lead us towards God. 

Note that the focus of the sayings is on honesty and truth. Just consider how contrary this is to much of the world's so called wisdom.

We must not exploit the poor. Again, consider how much the poor are exploited. Loan sharks are one example, slavery is another. When evil is triumphing it is often the poor who suffer most. But there is a day of judgement, of God's judgement.

We are to avoid hot-tempered people, they will only lead us into trouble.

We should beware of putting up security for another. It is better to pay off their debt properly.

We are to respect ancient boundaries. Our society has been, and still is, in the midst of removing ancient boundaries, such as the redefinition of marriage. We do this at our peril.

Those who are skilled will be rewarded and valued by leaders.

Proverbs 22:1-16 - The benefits of good attitudes

These verses contain the last of the large section of "pithy" proverbs before returning more to the style of the earlier chapters.

While the previous chapter leant towards focusing on the negative effects of evil, this section shines a light more on positive attitudes to have.

A good name is more valuable than gold. We should not be led astray by the lure of money. Intangible things are actually more valuable than the material. Money should be a servant not a master.

All of use are just creatures, made by God. No matter how high or low we may be in the world, all of us were created by God. This should engender humility and hope within us.

We should pay heed to danger and warning signs.

Humility actually brings honour and wealth. This reminds us of Jesus' words that the meek shall inherit the earth (see also Psalm 37:11). The world tries to tell us that we need to be proud and arrogant, this is not so.

How we bring up our children is crucial. We see both the positive and the negative side of this in the world around us.

Generosity is a key to financial security.

Being straightforwardly honest and gracious will make us find favour with leaders. Now this is a guide, not a strict rule. Clearly there are leaders who want scoundrels as henchmen and despise the honest and upright, but good leaders want good people.

There are, of course, a number of negatives in here as well. Mockers just bring strife, lazy people always find an excuse for doing nothing. The adulterous woman will lead many astray. Oppressing the poor will themselves end up in poverty.

Proverbs 21 - Evil and good

Back to Proverbs for several days. 

Let's look first at what this chapter tells us about the wicked and foolish. Verse 4 tells us that pride and haughtiness are the map of the wicked, they are what guide the path of evil men, and will ultimately lead to their downfall. Hasty actions lead to poverty (v5). Any gains from deceptive methods will at best be fleeting (v6). Moreover, the violence of the wicked will in the end be their downfall (v7). The soul of the wicked desires evil and contains no mercy (v10). We do not realise how terrible sin is. Wandering from good sense leads to death (v15). Seeking after pleasure leads to poverty( v17). Lazy people only want, never giving back anything (v26).

Now let's look at the way of the righteous. Righteousness and justice mean more to the Lord than sacrifice. Their conduct is pure. The plans of the diligent lead to abundance. A wise man gains knowledge (v11). If we pursue righteousness and kindness we will find life (v21). A wise man can take a city (v22). Guarding our tongue helps us keep out of trouble (v23).

In fact there are more warnings about evil in this chapter than there are promises for goodness. There are also two other themes. One is that it is better to be "worse off" and upright than to have wealth with unrighteousness. Evil may seem to pay for a time but we should not be fooled.

The other theme is that it is God's will that will ultimately prevail (v1, 31). 

Luke 24:36-51 - Appearance and ascension

Luke's gospel now comes to a close with Jesus making a final appearance to the disciples and then ascending to heaven. 

The disciples were troubled by His appearance because they did not expect someone to rise from the dead, it was a complete shock to the system. Jesus reassures them that they have nothing to worry about. He is completely real, not a ghost. They could touch him and He even ate fish. The resurrection was not a mere spiritual event. Anyone who says it is quite simply does not know what they are talking about and going directly against the Bible. Their suggestions are merely the inventions of their own minds.

Jesus' new body is both completely real and much more than a mere resuscitation of the old body. He could pass through doors, but still had the wounds in His hands.

All this was to fulfil the Old Testament. The Law and the prophets were all pointing to who Jesus was and what Jesus did.

Jesus was alone on the cross with no help from any other man, but now the disciples are involved in what God is doing, just as we are. We to be His witnesses, and in this we receive the help of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus then ascended to heaven. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father.

Luke 24:13-35 - On the road

Two disciples were walking along the road to Emmaus, talking about the things that had happened. Jesus then came along side them. When we are thinking about things we often seem to get nowhere, only getting ourselves agitated. When Jesus comes along side He brings clarity and insight.

Note they they were kept from recognising Him. We are completely dependent upon Jesus to enable us to see the truth. They had hoped that Jesus was the one to redeem Israel. They had also heard the reports of the empty tomb. They had all three facts, but lacked understanding. Jesus then speaks to them, pointing out that all the Old Testament was foretelling the things that had to happen and pointing to Jesus.

He stayed with them at a village and broke bread with them, then their eyes were opened to see. They went to Jerusalem and told the other disciples. Note how God used the physical act of breaking bread to bring spiritual insight.

Luke 24:1-12 - Dead no more

On the first day of the week, Sunday, the women went to the tomb. Luke made it clear in the preceding chapter that they knew which tomb to go to. The stone had been rolled away. Then two angels appeared to them. Note that in the Bible angels usually appear as men, sometimes just normal men, sometimes with light as well, as here. Angels do not have wings and are not effeminate.

Why do you look for the living among the dead? We often look in the wrong places and for the wrong things. Jesus was not dead. All that had happened was just as Jesus had said it would happen.

The women told the apostles but we're not believed. This deals with another objection, the people of the day knew full well that dead people did not rise. They were not gullible simpletons. Peter, however, ran to the tomb. He saw that the tomb was empty. There was something in Peter that made him hope that things were not all they seemed. Now note that He had let Jesus down. Even when we have failed Jesus we should still hope in him.

Luke 23:44-56 - No ordinary crucifixion

Jesus died at three o'clock in the afternoon. Darkness had covered the land since noon, and the curtain of the temple was split in two, this is symbolic of the division between God and man been done away with. It is significant that it is after the curtain was torn in two that Jesus commits His spirit to the Father. Now that the barrier between man and God was dealt with His work was finished, the full price of our sin had been paid for.

The centurion recognised that Jesus was a righteous man. The whole manner of His crucifixion, His reaction to it all, and His death were very different from all the others he had seen. This was no ordinary crucifixion. The crowds beat their breasts in anguish. Those who knew Jesus watched from a distance, wondering what it all meant.

Jesus was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Tombs normally held several bodies, but this was a new one, so Jesus was the only body.

Luke notes that the women saw which tomb Jesus was buried in. This is to counter the objection that the women went to the wrong tomb when they discovered that He had risen.

Luke 23:26-43 - Crucifixion

Jesus is now led away to be crucified. The other gospel writers give more details on the beatings that Jesus received before the crucifixion itself. He would be have been greatly weakened by this, and so someone was needed to carry the cross for Him. Simon of Cyrene was enlisted to do this.

Now there are many people wiling and weeping for Jesus. Over Passover week we see many different reactions from the crowd. Maybe the general public were split into two groups, or maybe they were just fickle.

Jesus tells them that it was not Him they should be sorry for, but themselves. Jesus was dealing with the problem of sin, paying the price for our sin. It was the people who had most to fear. They needed to repent. Jesus then quotes from Isaiah 54, which comes after that great chapter in Isaiah 53 that foretells of His suffering. Then He quotes from Hosea 10:8.

Jesus was placed between two criminals. The soldiers cast lots for His clothes and the rulers sneered. Jesus was abandoned and written off by everyone.

One of the criminals recognised the goodness in Jesus, the other did not. So one was saved, the other not. This is a picture of the division that the cross brings. The gospel either brings life or finalises the judgement.

Luke 23:1-25 - Before Pilate and Herod

Jesus was now led off to Pilate. What really offended the religious leaders was Jesus' claim to be the Son of God, this was not what they presented to Pilate. They coloured things in such a way as to make it look like Jesus was threatening rebellion against Rome. They also told an outright lie in saying He opposed paying taxes to Caesar, which was in fact the opposite of what Jesus had said, as reported earlier in Luke.

Pilate questioned Jesus but, not surprisingly, could find nothing wrong with Him. However, rather than facing up to the matter and dealing with it, Pilate sought to avoid the issue by finding an excuse to send Him to Herod. There are many Heord's in the New Testament, none of them good.

Herod was delighted to meet Jesus and hoped to see a miracle or two. Though Herod asked Jesus many questions, Jesus refused to answer any of them. The religious leaders carried on accusing Jesus and Herod mocked Him. Eventually He was sent back to Pilate, and Herod and Pilate became friends.

Pilate still refused to properly address the matter and sought a further way out. He offered to release Jesus, but the crowds shouted back that they wanted Barabbas to be released. They preferred to release a terrorist than the Messiah. Then they demanded that Jesus be crucified

It is quite amazing how the attitude of the crowd has turned round since Palm Sunday.

For anyone who wants a bit of light relief on a Sunday, there is a post on my other blog on predestination.

Luke 22:66-71 - Before the Council of Elders

Jesus is then arraigned before various groups of people. The whole of humanity is complicit in the rejection of Jesus. If you or I had been around at the time we would have been amongst those rejecting Jesus.

First it is the chief priests and teachers of the law, the council of the people.

They asked Jesus if He was the Messiah. They were not actually interested in whether or not He was the Messiah, they just wanted "grounds" to convict Him. Jesus confronts his inquisitors with the truth of the matter. Then He declares that the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of God. There are at least two implications of this statement. First, Jesus knew what the outcome would be. He knew He would die, and He knew He would be raised from the dead and exalted. Secondly, He is claiming equality with God.

The council then asks Him "Are you the Son of God?". Jesus does not give a direct answer, but His failure to deny being the Son of God is taken as sufficient grounds to declare Jesus guilty of blasphemy.

Luke 22:47-65 - Arresting developments

The crowd has been arranged by the priests. Judas came to betray Jesus with a kiss. However, none of this came as any surprise to Jesus. He knew exactly what was going on and it was all part of the plan.

The disciples wondered if they should fight to defend Jesus, especially as He has earlier told them to take a sword. It was Peter who struck one of the soldiers, Malchus, with a sword.

Jesus did not want to be defended and He healed the soldier. Jesus then addresses the priests. He knew full well why they were adopting such tactics, it was out of fear.

Next Peter denies Jesus three times. The first was to a servant girl, it isn't made specific who the other two were. So much for the boldness Peter had expressed earlier. Then he realised what he had done. It is strange how we will do sinful or stupid things, and immediately after we have done them we regret it realising our stupidity.

The soldiers then mocked Jesus. So Jesus was betrayed by one disciples, denied by another, and mocked by the soldiers.

Luke 22:39-46 - Prayer

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives and prays His famous prayer. "Take this cup from me, yet not my will but your will be done", and it records that His sweat was like drops of blood. Note that it says like drops of blood, not that it actually was drops of blood. It is possible that He did actually sweat drops of blood, but based on the text it seems by no means certain. What is certain is that Jesus experienced extreme anguish. The cross and all the associated events were absolutely real, fully experienced by Jesus. This was not charade, Jesus was fully man about to fully experience the judgement of God. 

In His prayer this is the only time that Jesus prays "if you are willing" and "your will not my will". We are perhaps too ready to tack these sorts of phrases on to prayer. Now not being fully sanctified yet there is going to be a greater degree of uncertainty about our prayers for there are going to be more times when we are wise not to trust our motives. However, as we mature in Christ and our hearts and minds become more aligned with God's a greater authority should come into our prayer life. Prayer is about working together with God.

Jesus was strengthened in His darkest hour by an angel. Angels are real. We must not over emphasise them, and there are several warnings in the New Testament letters against doing this, but they are real and God does send angels to help us.

Jesus had told the disciples to pray that they would not fall into temptation, this was to no avail.

Luke 22:7-38 - The Last Supper

All the preparations were in hand for the Passover meal. The details are very precise, with a man with a water jar meeting them. It is so vital that we understand that the cross was not an accident, it was not dependent upon men taking certain actions. It was something that God had planned would happen, and the details of which He planned precisely. As mentioned in the previous post, this does not mean the men were automatons, they still took their own decisions, but everything was going to plan. The cross was not subject to chance.

The Passover meal was something that the people were to take every year in memory of the nations release from Egypt. The Lord's Supper would replace this Passover.

The Passover was to be taken in remembrance of that night in Egypt. The Lord's Supper is taken in remembrance of Jesus' death and resurrection. A new covenant was being made, and covenant sealed by the blood of Jesus. Note how strange this must have all seemed to the disciples. Jesus talking about His suffering, being told they were drinking (figuratively) His blood. Under the Law taking of meat with the blood in it was forbidden.

Then Jesus gives a lesson, and the lesson is to serve one another. In the kingdom of God the greatest is the one who serves. Jesus is the supreme servant. We must not adopt worldly ways in the church, for they have no part in God's kingdom. Notice also that Jesus says He confers on them a kingdom, and that the apostles will sit in thrones in judgement. 1 Corinthians 6:2 would seem to imply that this has a wider application.

Then Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Jesus. He also tells them that they will need to make provision for themselves.

Luke 22:1-7 Betrayal

It is very fitting that all this happened at the time of the Passover. The original Passover had seen the Israelites set free from Egypt. This Passover would see people set free from sin and death. The first Passover was just a shadow of what was to come. Just as the Israelites were protected by the blood of the lamb, so we are protected from judgement by the blood of Jesus.

Luke explains why the religious leaders wanted Judas. They were afraid of the people, and so wanted some sort of cover for what they were doing. If one of Jesus' disciples betrayed Him then they could say that one of His own handed Him over. 

Note that it also says that Satan entered Judas. When we look at events we want there to be one answer: God did it, Satan did it, or a person did it. This leads us to all sorts of problems, misunderstanding predestination being one of them. The truth is that two or even all three can be involved. The whole matter of the cross was predestined by God, planned long ago. So God's plan was unfolding, and Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him. It is also true that Satan was involved and thought he was getting his way, and Judas was also responsible. God is the primary cause, Satan and Judas are secondary causes. 

So Judas decided to betray Jesus and went to the chief priests, naturally they were delighted. 

Luke 21:5-37 - End times

This section is the end times passage. The disciples were marvelling at the temple, but Jesus tells them that it will come to nothing. This happened in AD70 when it was destroyed. This applies to all human structures, whether physical or organisational. 

The disciples immediately wanted to know when this would happen. Similarly, there is an unhealthy interest in when the return of Christ will happen. To their question Jesus gives a warning against deception. If we look for the wrong things we are likely to find the wrong things. We are not to be deceived by people claiming to be the Messiah, or to know when these things will happen. Nor are we to be deceived by dramatic events. There will be wars and natural disasters. Our response is not to be afraid.

Then he warns them of persecution. Again we are not to fear. When called to give an account the Holy Spirit will give us the words. 

There will be betrayal, even within families. Our response is to stand firm.

Then in v20 Jesus gives specific warnings for what would happen in AD66-70. This is when the siege would begin. He warns them to flee when they see the Roman armies gathering. Many did heed this warning and so were saved.

Now, despite what some would say, these verses are not talking just about what happened in AD66-70. Verse 24 could be seen as describing the difficult history that Jerusalem has had since that time, and v25 onwards seem to be clearly speaking about the very end times when Jesus returns. 

Verse 32 is something of an enigma, but "this generation" may just be talking about this present age.

So what are we to do in the light of all this? We are not to be weighed down with anxiety, drunkenness can be a response to letting this happen, an act of despair. Instead we are to focus on serving the Lord each day.

I have said more about these matters in the equivalent passages in Matthew and Mark:

Matthew 24:1-14

Matthew 24:15-35

Matthew 24:36-51

Mark 13:1,2

Mark 13:3-13

Mark 13:14-19

Mark 13:20-31

Mark 13:32-37

Luke 20:41-21:4 - Understanding

Now Jesus gives the religious leaders a lesson in Biblical exegesis. He quotes from Psalm 110, a well known messianic Psalm, pointing to the words "The Lord said to my Lord". Jesus is showing that the promised Messiah is one who is much greater than David. They were expecting someone like David, and were offended by Jesus being so much greater. Everything in the Old Testament is a shadow of what was to come, the reality, the fulfilment, is much greater.

Then Jesus turned to the crowds. Maybe they were enjoying seeing the religious leaders brought down a peg or two. Maybe they resented the proud way in which the religious leaders went around the place, with an air of superiority. Jesus warns the people about the true nature of the religious leaders, and their eventual judgement. Sadly the people would a few days later side with these corrupt leaders in calling for Barabas to be released rather than Jesus.
The example of the poor widow further exemplifies what is truly important. In struct financial terms the widows offering was irrelevant but in fact she had given more than everyone else, for she had given out of her poverty. Her heart was truly devoted to God.

Sermon - Following Christ, learning from Abraham - Part 2

The second part of the sermon on Abraham can be found here: Follow me - Part 2

Luke 20:9-40 - Questions

Having been questioned by the religious leaders, Jesus turns the tables on them with the parable of the tenants. The religious leaders needed to realise there true position, as indeed do all of us. We are stewards and are answerable to God whether we like it or not. This is not a matter of choice but a matter of fact. 

The vineyard owner sent many messengers, just as God has sent many prophets, and now His own Son.

So the tenants killed the son. Note that Jesus knew what the religious leaders were planning to do. Note also the implicit claim that Jesus is the Son of God.

The tenants might think they had got away with it, but they were fools. The owner would come and kill them. Likewise God will judge all people on earth.

Instead of repenting, the religious leaders simply carried on plotting to kill Jesus.

Next they tried to trap Jesus by raising the matter of paying taxes to Caesar. They thought they could trap Him because if he said they should pay taxes this would make Him unpopular with the people who resented the Roman occupation, if He said they should not then He would come into conflict with Roman authorities. They also used flattery to try and lull Jesus into giving a careless answer.

This of course did not work for Jesus knew exactly what they were up to. As often before, He turned the tables on them. The religious leaders were in the game for their own ends, so Jesus' reply about giving to God exposed their duplicity.

Next the Saducees had a go with what they thought was a clever question about marriage. They forgot that they were speaking to the author of the book! Notice Jesus' answer. They were looking at the Scriptures from a purely human perspective, if we do this we will likewise fall into error. Note also that marriage as we know it now will not continue after the resurrection. Things will be radically different.

Luke 19:45-20:8 - Temple times

Jesus then clears the temple. We need to recognise that Jesus is a judge as well as a saviour. The temple was meant to be a place of prayer, a place where people committed themselves and their nation to the service of God and to seeing God's will fulfilled. Jesus quotes from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11 Instead of being house of prayer it had become a den of thieves. Now originally the sellers were selling birds and animals for sacrifice, so it may have seemed quite sensible, but it had degenerated into a money making exercise.
Jesus taught in the temple and His teaching captivated the people. So the priests were afraid to pursue their plan to kill Jesus. This, in part, explains why they were so glad to find Judas as one who was willing to betray Jesus.
Not being able to directly get Jesus as this point the priests and teachers of the law sought to undermine Him. First they questioned His authority. Jesus replied, as He often did, with  another question, asking them about John the Baptist. This put them in a quandary for John had also been a popular figure. Whichever way they answered they would incriminate themselves.
So they refused to answer, and Jesus likewise refused to answer them.