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That You May Know The Certainty
Lesson 12: Jesus’s Journey To Jerusalem, Part 2 (Luke 10:38-11:36)
Jesus has turned the primary attention of His ministry away from Galilee and toward Jerusalem. He has sent some disciples into various towns to prepare them for His arrival. Note that from this point forward Luke records more about Jesus’s teachings than His miracles.
Jesus In Mary And Martha’s Home (Luke 10:38-42)
10:38-42. Jesus traveled to a certain village and was welcomed into the home of Mary and Martha (sisters of Lazarus, from the village of Bethany, John 11:1; about two miles east of Jerusalem). Mary sat at Jesus’s feet to learn from Him, while Martha was distracted by her many tasks (likely household and hospitality related). Martha thought she was doing what she should and wanted Jesus to have Mary help her so that she would not be serving alone. However, Jesus told Martha that she was troubled over things that were inferior to the choice Mary had made. For, Mary had recognized the better opportunity to listen to her Lord (Teacher) in her home, and Jesus would not take that choice away from her.
Jesus Teaches His Disciples About Prayer (Luke 11:1-13)
11:1-4. One of Jesus’s disciples asked that Jesus teach them to pray just as John had taught his disciples. Jesus includes the following items in His answer (Matthew 6:9-15). First, they were to address their prayers to their Father (in Heaven, implying they are children of God). Second, they were to express reverence for the name of God as being holy/hallowed (set apart from all others). Third, they were to pray for God’s kingdom to come and will to be done (which would take place when Jesus accomplished His mission and sat on the throne in Acts 1-2; but should also continue in the sense of each person submitting to Jesus’s rule). Fourth, they were to pray for the daily provisions of bread necessary for life from the God who sustains it. Fifth, they were to pray for forgiveness of their spiritual debt of sin (provided they were willing to forgive those indebted to them). Sixth, they were to pray not to be brought into temptation (perhaps asking that God not permit them to be tempted/tried beyond their strength to endure).
11:5-13. Jesus related a parable to help understand what God will do for those who ask of Him and seek Him diligently. He spoke of a man whose friend came from a journey and was in need of being shown hospitality. Not having what he needed, he went to his neighbor at midnight to ask for three loaves of bread. However, the man had his house locked up for the night and his family settled down in bed so that he did not want to be bothered. Yet, the man’s shameless persistence eventually resulted in the man getting up and giving his friend what he needed. So, if this is how a neighbor is, certainly God will give to those who ask of Him. Those who seek will find and those who knock will be given what is needed. If evil fathers know how to give good (and not evil) things to their children (a fish contrasted with a snake and an egg contrasted with a scorpion), certainly God will give good gifts to His children who ask of Him – including the Holy Spirit (i.e. the blessings He gives, Matthew 7:11).
Jesus And The Crowds (Luke 11:14-36)
11:14-23. Jesus drove out a demon that caused a man to be unable to speak (perhaps the same man in Matthew 12:22-32, who was also blind).The crowds were amazed, asking if He could be the Son of David (the Messiah, Matthew 12:23). However, some (the Pharisees, Matthew 12:24) advanced the narrative that Jesus was working these miracles by the power of Beelzebul (ruler of the demons, 2 Kings 1:1-6; perhaps applied to Satan himself). Others were testing Him by demanding a sign. To answer the objection about working with Satan, Jesus indicated that a divided kingdom and household falls; so it is illogical that He was working with Satan to drive out demons. Then, Jesus challenged them to be consistent in identifying who some of the Jews were claiming exorcism by (though not validating their ability to do it). Instead, they needed to recognize the power and authority of the kingdom of God through His unquestionable work of driving out demons! Like a strong man who is overpowered, Jesus was demonstrating His power over Satan through what He was accomplishing. Therefore, anyone who stood against Jesus stood with the devil and anyone with Jesus stood opposed to the devil!
11:24-26. Jesus taught that when an unclean spirit comes out of a person, the spirit roams looking for another to possess (Matthew 12:43-45). Having roamed through waterless, deserted places, it finds none other to possess. So, it goes back to its house (the one previously inhabited). The person the spirit once inhabited is found to be in a better situation (like a house swept and put in order), yet vacant (Matthew 12:44, evidently not filled with good things). The spirit then brings seven other spirits more evil than itself to enter and settle down in the person so this last condition is worse than the previous for the individual. Jesus applied these things to that evil generation (Matthew 12:45, evidently for not accepting the good news Jesus preached) and is true for anyone who accepts spiritual healing from Jesus and goes back to sin (Hebrews 6:4-6; 2 Peter 2:20-22).
11:27-32. As Jesus was speaking, a woman proclaimed the blessedness of Jesus’s mother (Luke 1:42). Jesus replied that all who hear God’s words and keep them are blessed (favored in God’s sight). As the crowds were increasing, Jesus addressed how that evil and adulterous generation demanded a sign (the scribes and Pharisees, Matthew 12:38-42; Luke 11:16). Of course, Jesus had already done many signs they had rejected. Yet, Jesus would only give the sign of Jonah, who was in the belly of the huge fish for three days (Matthew 12:40; Jonah 2:1-10). After God had brought him out of the fish, the people of Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching (Matthew 12:41; Jonah 3:1-10). Jesus would be in the belly of the earth for three days and rise from the dead (Matthew 12:40). Both the queen of Sheba (who came a great distance to hear Solomon’s wisdom, 1 Kings 10:1-13) and the people of Nineveh will stand in judgment of that generation because these were rejecting Jesus, who was greater than both Solomon and Jonah!
11:33-36. Rather than the two reactions to Jesus He had just experienced (11:15-16), Jesus encouraged those who heard Him to accept the enlightenment Jesus was trying to give them (as the Light of the world, John 1:1-9; 3:19-21; 8:12). They were treating the Light of Jesus like a lamp put in the cellar or under a basket rather than on a lampstand. Rather than using their eye (i.e. putting their focus) on receiving the enlightenment and having their lives illuminated with God’s truth, they were focused on the wrong things and were filled with darkness as a result. Therefore, all people must be careful how they hear and respond to the Light Jesus offers!
Conclusion
Jesus has been teaching tremendous lessons in various settings throughout this section. He taught Martha about making the best choice to learn from Him. He taught His disciples about prayer. Then, He taught the crowds about the need to work with Him and listen to God’s word.
