Category Archives: Luke’s Gospel – Study Notes

Luke 21:1-4 Pastor Rick’s Study Notes and Small Group Questions

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Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

Luke 21:1-4

(PRT) Luke 21:1-4

v. 1 Then Jesus looked up and saw those who were wealthy tossing their gifts into the offering baskets. v. 2 He also saw a certain poor widow as she dropped in two small coins worth less than a penny. v. 3 And Jesus said: “With all honesty, I can say to you that this poor widow has given more than all who have tossed in their offerings. v. 4 For what they gave was small compared to their surplus; but out of her poverty, she gave all she had to live on.

Study Notes:

v. 1 Then Jesus looked up and saw those who were wealthy tossing their gifts into the offering baskets.

Jesus had been in the Temple teaching during this last week of his ministry. No less than five times in this teaching time in the Temple, Jesus teaches on giving, generosity, and the impact of greed as opposed to generosity. This passage is a tangible illustration of what Jesus taught.

He looked  up and saw that the gifts were out of the wealthy’s excess. The “treasury” is the way giving happened in the Temple. This treasury was set up in the Courts of the Women as a place specifically for the tithes as people moved into the Temple. By the days of Jesus, there were thirteen chests with openings trumpet-shaped to catch what was thrown toward the chests as people passed by.

The picture here is Jesus with his followers sitting in the Courts of the Women opposite the chests and, right after arguing about taxes (“give to Caesar what he’s due; to God what He’s due,” Jesus looks up and begins to watch the wealthy parade by tossing their coins into the basket by way of the noisy trumpet-shaped openings. Some of the gifts are large. But all are measured from the givers’ surplus. The widow in line gives and can only scrape together to coins worth a portion of a penny; but she gives knowing that was it for her resources. She’s given all she has, not in desperation or in giving up, but in trust that God has her and He will be faithful. Marks word for “poor” indicates that she knows she has no influence, no resources to convince anyone of her station; hers was a simple station of living day-by-day.

v. 2 He also saw a certain poor widow and she was dropping in two small coins worth less than a penny.

Her two small coins were “lepta” or small copper coins used as the lowest common coinage. Most people would pass them by if they saw them on the ground. What others might discard, God can take and multiply into the grandest work or gift to the Kingdom.

v. 3 And Jesus said: “With all honesty, I can say to you that this poor widow has given more than all who have tossed in their offerings.

This must have been a shock since the greater the gift the greater the giver in this culture.  Truly, verily, in all honesty.

v. 4 For what they gave was small compared to their surplus; but out of her poverty, she gave all she had to live on.

Jesus is making a comparison here. If I have a lot and give a little bit in comparison, my offering isn’t a big as what a person gives sacrificially even though it is less for the books. God’s books are different and reflect the generosity of the heart and not the balance of the check book.

Note of importance: Jesus doesn’t condemn the rich for their giving; he lifts up the heart of sacrifice of the poor who give out of their need and not their surplus. It’s a measure of generosity.

Small Group Questions:

Luke 21:1-4

  1. Have you ever witnessed real generosity? What happened and what made it real to you?
  2. Read Luke 21:1-4. What two things does Jesus see when He looks up? Is he surprised by what He sees?
  3. Because Jesus praises the widow, do you think He is condemning the wealthy? Why or why not?
  4. How does one’s generosity reflect God’s personality and actions?
  5. This passage speaks about consistent giving (the tithe) and extravagant giving. In what ways can you personally become more generous?
  6. How can we pray for you today?

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes: Matthew 2:21-23, Luke 2:39-40, 51-52

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Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

Matthew 2:21-23

Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother, and reentered Israel. When he heard, though, that Archelaus had succeeded his father, Herod, as king in Judea, he was afraid to go there. But then Joseph was directed in a dream to go to the hills of Galilee. On arrival, he settled in the village of Nazareth. This move was a fulfillment of the prophetic words, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (The Message)

After this, he got up, took the child and his mother and traveled back to Israel. Also, he heard that Archelaus now ruled in Judea in the place of his father, Herod. He was afraid to go there and, because he was warned in a dream, he turned aside to the region of Galilee. When he arrived, he made his home in the town of Nazareth and, in doing so, fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”(PRT)

  • It became such a badge of honor to be from such a place and be such a Savior that it was how others identified Jesus. Come and see Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
  • When the blind or the lame would call out for healing, they called to Jesus the Nazarene.
  • The demons acknowledged his authority to drive them out as Jesus Christ the Nazarene.
  • When Mary and her friends came to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body, the angel assured them that the one they looked for, this Jesus the Nazarene, is not here because He is risen.
  • Peter preaches the first Acts presentation of the Good News of the Kingdom in chapter 2 and declares the this Jesus the Nazarene is the very one who conquered death.
  • Then Peter in chapter 3 reaches down to take the hand of the paralytic and declares “I don’t have a nickel to my name; but what I have I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk.
  • Paul says that even Jesus identified himself when he had the vision on the Damascus highway – “I am Jesus the Nazarene; the one you are persecuting.” (Acts 22:8)

That Jesus was from such a small, backwater village in a non-descript part of the Israel is as fitting as Jesus as a baby being born in a livestock cave.

He, as the light of the world, entered where least expected and spread throughout the world.

Joseph was warned a third time, this specific to the dangers Herod’s son Archelaus posed to their safety. That’s why Joseph took Mary and Jesus back to his home in Nazareth which was under Antipas’ rule. Interesting that Herod the Great killed off so many of his sons; but some still reign in parts of his kingdom. Archelaus proved his bloodline and refused a godly lifestyle; he was cruel and unpredictable, too.

Luke 2:39-40, 51-52

39-40 When they finished everything required by God in the Law, they returned to Galilee and their own town, Nazareth. There the child grew strong in body and wise in spirit. And the grace of God was on him. (The Message)

39-40 When they had completed all the law of the Lord required, they returned to Galilee and to their home town of Nazareth; it was there that the child grew up and became strong and filled up with wisdom, and God’s grace was on him. (PRT)

51-52 So he went back to Nazareth with them, and lived obediently with them. His mother held these things dearly, deep within herself. And Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people. (The Message)

51-52 And Jesus went down from Jerusalem with them and came to Nazareth; he was obedient to them and his mother carefully kept all these things both said and done in her heart. (PRT)

Nazareth is where Jesus grew up, went to synagogue school, learned how to build things, and grew in spirit and the Holy Spirit fully within discovered how to express the Spirit’s fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Some may have difficulties with Jesus growing in wisdom and in the spirit as He is God incarnate. But the “incarnate” – in the flesh – is significant. If Jesus was born with all the wisdom and fully mature, he would not have come in the flesh; he would have come as a superman. He is not. He is God, and He is man.

Study Notes for Luke 24:13-32

Luke's Gospel - Study Notes, Pastor Rick's Study Notes

Study Notes on Luke 24:13-32

I hope you enjoy my notes on this passage. I always learn more than I am able to share. Sometimes, the words and meaning surprise me; other times, I’m shaken by the enormous truth God’s powerful Word contains.

v. 13 – they “homilied” together – they conversed in ways that brought mutual learning. They talked about Jesus.

v. 15 – “where two or three are gathered” discussing, praying, learning, open to the Spirit’s touch, there Jesus makes His presence known. It was Jesus, not a ghost, not “in the spirit” or a vision.

v. 16 – They didn’t recognize him – double negative – not knowing, not him.

v. 17 – Jesus asked them “what are you discussing” as in tossing back and forth like a ball between you. It was a vibrant discussion of questions and answers.

v. 18 – Do you live alone, walk alone?

vv. 19-21 They called Jesus a man, a miracle-worker, a prophet, a teacher, and a military messiah, and dead and buried. And on top of all this, our lives have been changed, we long for more, we can’t go back to what life without Jesus in it was like, on top of the grief, on top of the rumors. We are saddened and need hope. Hope is the resurrection.

v. 22 “our group of followers” indicates that cells of Jesus-followers were scattered around the city.

vv. 22-24 – confirmation of the women’s story, the angel’s appearance, and the men who ran to the tomb to find it true – add that to the fact that Jesus began instructing them about this essential goal of his mission. Still… they wanted concrete proof. The women’s story didn’t fit their grid, it didn’t make sense inside the context of what they expected. Are you not using your brains? Are you content not connecting the dots, not understanding. Slow to move from what you experienced to what has come about?

vv. 25-27 – Jesus began at the beginning and pointed them to the cross and the resurrection – and the reason it had to be. V. 26 – was it not necessary that Jesus would suffer these things? Didn’t the prophets lead to this solution? And Jesus “exegeted” the whole of the OT for them and pointed them to the Kingdom of God. The word is what we get “hermeneutics” from – the faithful interpretation. This goes beyond the “homiletics” dialog the two were having before and interjects fresh understanding from the Scripture. Both are important.

vv. 28-31 – How important the act of communion was that this opened their eyes. Some might say, “Look, Jesus was deceiving them” – he “played like” he was going on. He gave them an excuse to invite them in within the confines of the hospitality code. It’s like eating the last piece of pie after a meal. You have to “play like” you don’t want it before digging in. They sat down. They invited him into the dialog. That’s a recipe for spiritual revival. Rev 3:20

vv. 32-34 – Back to Jerusalem. How many confirming physical signs from the Spirit of God did they experience? A burning longing inside, a hunger for truth, an identity with the man they walked with, an openness to see Jesus, eyes wide open. They said it twice: Jesus opened their eyes to Himself and to the truth in Scripture. They go together.

Notes on Luke 22:52-71

Luke's Gospel - Study Notes, Pastor Rick's Study Notes

Working Notes for Luke 22:52-71 (These are compiled from different scholarly works and my own synthesis of ideas)

V 52 indicates the religious leaders were in the background waiting to see if there would be a display of power or rebellion – they wanted others to bear the brunt of the fight, but now stepped into the torch light. They were cowards afraid of truth, of God, and of people. During this exchange the disciples ran away (including young Mark).

V 53 Exousia – authority but not authority earned or resident within the person – it is a given authority or a license to exercise dark deeds. John records in multiple places that Jesus knew this was coming and the Father had given the authority to darkness. Col. 1:13 – Jesus rescued us from darkness.

V 54 – They violently arrested him. Even though he submitted to this, they took him violently and force marched him from place to place. Hands bound likely behind his back, pushed step-by-step off balanced to be tried illegally at night – the decision handed down by a former high priest, Annas, and his son-in-law Caiaphas. Ratified and rubber stamped by their supporters on the Jewish council at first crack of dawn to give the appearance of legality.

V 55 – Peter because of John’s influence entered into the inner courtyard where the servants were awaiting the next commands. Restless – he sat, then stood, then walked around among the servants – he was feeling the darkness.

V 56-57 He was called out by the servants who had likely helped arrest Jesus. He is Galilean also – as was John, and a follower. “The light” of the blazing fire revealed who Peter was. Peter wasn’t good at staying under the radar.

V 58-59 The next servant girl was more adamant, and the third person more forcefully identified him. Peter is “One of them.” Guilt by association, if Jesus is a rebel. then they are the rebels he was leading. But the rebellion is a Kingdom takeover – the Kingdom of Heaven wins and supplants the prince of darkness.

V 60-61 He swears he is not “one of them”, perhaps fearful of his life – torn between running away and watching till the end. Remember his vow earlier that night – Not me, Lord. I’ll never run away.

And Luke alone includes that when the rooster sang away the second time, Jesus looked Peter’s way. A most intimate non-verbal exchange fraught with compassion. Both knowing the failure Peter experienced. And both knowing that mercy and forgiveness was extended in Peter’s darkest moment.

V 62 – He fled “toward the dawn” it says. He ran into the light. He wept painful, stinging, tears and cried loud and long. Mark says he threw his cloak hood over his face, perhaps to hide his shame. But the cloak came off and who he was came into the light. The best place for screw ups and failures is to come into the light. What comes into the light can be forgiven. Perhaps the mystery behind all that happened, really happened to Judas in his heart and in his final moments is because he avoided the light.

Vv 63-65 – Here Luke uses the word for roughing Him up by pushing, punching, and beating him. And this account is just a sampling of what they did to Jesus. But the other gospels fill in the experience – as they unleashed their fury against him and everything about life that had built cruelty into their sinews – they slapped him with open hands and closed fists, they spit on him, they beat him in ways that flayed back his skin, they threw him around violently, and beat him with rods. Then, blindfolded him so they could mock him with anonymity. The darkness ruled.

V 66 – Everyone shows up whom they invited (remember that Nicodemus and those sympathetic to Jesus were not, somehow, available.) And they repeat what they had already done to make their decision.

Vv 67-70 – In this short exchange, from the mouths of the religious leaders, Jesus is Messiah, Son of Man, and Son of God. Jesus tops them all by declaring his deity with “I am.” And in the midst of the Darkness, Jesus reigns. He assures them that they will see him on the throne. The very throne they claim for their right to rule is the seat Jesus takes.

V 70-71 – They heard the Jesus’ words and their own words affirmed and, if this wasn’t true of Jesus – if He wasn’t Messiah, Son of Man, Son of God, the Great I am – they were in the right. But they missed the Kingdom completely because of the darkness they chose.