Week 5

Read  Luke 6:1-7:50 The Ministry in Galilee (Part Two)

• Verses 6:1-11 – Jesus is accused of breaking Sabbath laws when he cures a man with a withered hand.  He asks “is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” (v. 6:9).  Isn’t is right for him to bring relief to those who suffer so that they too can rest on the Sabbath?  A similar story of Jesus being questioned for healing on the Sabbath is found in John 5:1-30.  
  • John 5:17: “My Father is at work until now, and I am at work as well.”  The Father heals on the Sabbath, so Jesus will heal on the Sabbath as well.  Like Father, like Son, Jesus continues his Father’s work.
• Verses 6:12-16 – The twelve disciples are selected.  These names differ slightly from the other Gospels.  A constant in all the Gospels, however, is that Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus.
• Verses 6:20-26 – We can find comfort in the Beatitudes (6:20-22).  Whatever we may be suffering now, it will be gone once we are at home with our Father.  However, when reading the next verses (6:24-26), we may become concerned, since we too may be rich, full, or highly esteemed.  However, we need only be concerned if these things have lead to us loosing love of God.
• Verses 6:20-26 – Theme: Reversal of Things.
• Verse 6:22 – Theme: Joy.
• Verses 6:27-36 – Theme: Love of Enemies. We are to love one another.  This includes even our enemies. This theme, along with the other verses in this section, lay a framework of how God expects us to live our lives.  The “Golden Rule” is given in verse 6:31, to do unto others as we would have done to us.
• Verses 6:37-42 – Judging others: We are no better than everyone else.  Everyone sins.  Therefore, we should not judge others.  We must forgive them.  Leave judgement to God.
• Verses 6:43-45 – We should produce good fruit.  In other words, have our actions be the source of good, and not evil.
• Verses 6:46-49 – We must build our lives on God.  Only then will our lives be able to withstand whatever comes our way.
• Verses 7:1-10 – Jesus heals the slave of the Centurion.  The Centurion displays absolute faith.
• Verses 7:11-17 – People rejoice and the word of Jesus spreads once Jesus brings back to life the son of a widow.  Jesus was able to bring the man back to life by his words, reflecting his authority over death.
• Verses 7:18-35 – Jesus admits that he is the Messiah.  He is the one they had been waiting for, whom John the Baptist paved the way and whom Old Testament foretold.
• Verses 7:36-50 – The greater our sin, the more we love God for forgiving us and releasing us from our guilt.  Only when we realize that we are sinners will we be able to  receive God’s grace and appreciate the gift of forgiveness.  God’s forgiveness is a wonderful gift, one to which we should all be grateful.

Questions: 

1. Does your success, or lack thereof, cause you to overlook the need for God and his mercy?  Do you have a false sense of security? (v. 6:20-26)
2. Do you judge others?  Are you playing the part of God by judging the salvation or damnation of others?  Is judging others a problem in religions today? Could non-judgment help solve some of today’s issues? (v. 6:37-42)
3. We must heed Jesus’ warning and contemplate how to live our lives according to them. Are you heading Jesus’ messages?  Or, like the second builder, are you building your life on shaky ground, setting yourself up to fall when you encounter bumps in the road? (v. 6:46-49)
4. In verses 7:6-7, the Centurion displays humility and absolute faith.  Are you humble?Do you have this kind of faith?
5. In verses 7:29-32, Luke is once again pointing out that some people will hear the word of God and follow Him while others will hear Him but not follow.  Can you think of someone like this, who hear’s God’s word but is opposed to changing their ways (they are comfortable with the status quo) even though it is not bringing them closer to God?
6. In some areas of our lives, those who surround us may not be open to a public display of our affection for God.  Are you comfortable praising God despite how it appears to others? (v. 7:36-50)
7. When is the last time you have confessed your sins?  How do you feel once you realize you have been forgiven? (v. 7:36-50)

Additional Questions (Found in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible – Gospel of Luke)

1. Question for Understanding 6:1 (ICSB)
2. Question for Understanding 6:3 and 6:4 (ICSB)
3. Question for Understanding 6:20 (ICSB)
4. Question for Understanding 6:30 (ICSB)
5. Question for Application 6:12 (ICSB)
6. Question for Application 6:27-31 (ICSB)
7. Question for Application 6:37-39 (ICSB)
8. Question for Understanding 7:12 (ICSB)
9. Question for Understanding 7:16 (ICSB)
10. Question for Understanding 7:24 (ICSB)
11. Question for Understanding 7:28 (ICSB)
12. Question for Application 7:6-7 (ICSB)
13. Question for Application 7:6-9 (ICSB)
14. Question for Application 7:35 (ICSB)
15. Question for Application 7:47 (ICSB)

Discuss the readings and/or study questions by reading/posting comments below.