Luke 17:1 ¶ Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
Luke 17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
This chapter opens with a stark statement from Jesus—offences, temptations and snares to cause people to sin, will come. You cannot experience life without experiencing the temptation to sin. BUT—Jesus says that grief and sorrow will come to those that do the tempting and try to trap people into sinning. He says that it would be better to have a millstone (a very large stone used for crushing grain) hanged around his/her neck and thrown into the sea to drown rather than suffer the consequences of tempting one of these “little ones” to sin. I do not think that Jesus is talking specifically about children. After looking at the Greek, I believe He is talking about those who were most vulnerable to spiritual deceit, those considered the least educated and least discerning.
Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Luke 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Sometimes I have difficulty following the connecting flow of Luke’s record. Jesus is talking to His disciples. I think He is saying that in light of the prevalence of temptation, be ready to rebuke one who sins against you and willingly forgive him if he repents of his sin. In fact, if he sins against you seven times in one day and repents of his sin to you each time, you are to forgive him.
I do not think that Jesus is saying there is a limit to the number of times you should forgive one who sins against you. Numbers in scripture have significant meanings, and seven is recognized as the number of completion and fullness. I think that Jesus is saying that you should completely forgive anyone who truly repents of sin against you no matter how many times that may be. Jesus presented the same truth a little differently as recorded in Matthew.
Matthew 18:21–22 “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
Joe Focht made an interesting connection with Jesus’ answer to Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks (70 x 7). He thinks that Jesus meant we were to keep on forgiving people until the kingdom is established. I see no reason to disagree.
There is another important truth connected to our forgiveness that Luke doesn’t make record of here. God’s forgiveness of our sins is directly related to our forgiveness of those who sin against us.
Matthew 6:14–15 “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
Verse 5 includes a prayer I have uttered many times, “Lord, Increase my faith.” I think the apostles were admitting that they needed God’s help in being able to live according to the Lord’s expectations.
I know that the Lord was seeking to encourage the apostles with His answer, but I am afraid that I have struggled in light of how small my faith has proven to be in light of His answer. He is saying that it only takes a tiny bit of faith to accomplish things that seem to be impossible. Along with the prayer from verse 5, I have also often asked the Lord to give me that mustard seed of faith. Although I haven’t done impossible things, the Lord has always given me the faith to endure through the tough times. Instead of focusing on expecting God to do great things through me, I have learned to focus on God’s faithfulness knowing that if He wants to use me to accomplish great things, He will.
A great observation by David Guzik: “The roots of the mulberry (sycamine) tree were thought to be extraordinarily strong; it was thought that this tree could stay rooted for six hundred years. You may have unforgiveness and bitterness that is deeply rooted within you; it may be like one of those trees that sends down deep, strong roots. But through faith, Jesus can rip those roots clean out; it can be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea.
Luke 17:7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
Luke 17:8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
Luke 17:9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
Luke 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
Again, the flow of Luke’s record is not obvious to me. Jesus follows the teaching on faith with a teaching on the expectations of a servant. He sets up a scenario in which a servant has been working out in the field and comes in at meal time. He then tells the disciples to picture themselves as the master ready to eat. Would you be considerate of the needs of the servant or would you expect him to prepare your meal and serve you before tending to his own needs? Do you thank a servant for doing what he is told to do? The answer to both questions is understood to be “No.”
Jesus then applies the teaching to the apostles. They are servants of God and are expected to do as He commands. Even when you do what He commands you to do, you have only done what was expected—nothing more. You’ve done nothing worthy of special recognition.
Maybe the connection is in light of the command to forgive. Though it may seem like a very hard thing to do in light of our selfish, sinful nature, Jesus is saying that it is what He expects of His servants. When we succeed in obeying His command, it is not worthy of special recognition. It doesn’t benefit God, but it does benefit us in light of Matthew 6:14-15 quoted above.
Luke 17:11 ¶ And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
Luke 17:12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
Luke 17:13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
Luke 17:14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
Luke 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
Luke 17:16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Luke 17:17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
Luke 17:18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
Luke 17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Luke again jumps forward to another event. Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem by way of the bordering area of Samaria and Galilee. As He entered one village, He encountered ten lepers; they kept their distance from Him as required by the law.
Leviticus 13:45–46 “And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.”
However, they cried out for Him to show mercy on them (for healing is implied). Jesus answered them by telling them to go and present themselves to the priests. The point is made that as they set out to do as He told them, they were cleansed of their disease and made whole. Only one of them turned back to fall at the Lord’s feet glorifying God and thanking Him for healing him; that man was a Samaritan. Jesus asks questions that are only stating the obvious—Did I not heal ten? Where are the other nine?
The fact that Jesus identified the Samaritan as “this stranger” implies that the other nine were Jews. The Jews were known as God’s chosen people, yet they did not seem to feel the need to thank God for their miracle of healing. This “stranger,” however, did.
Jesus then tells the Samaritan to go on his way (to the priests as previously instructed) and that his faith has made him whole. Personally, I think that the wholeness this time was in reference to spiritual wholeness. Though the others had been made whole physically, they evidenced no recognition of or gratitude to the One through whom their healing had come. They had believed Jesus could heal them because of His reputation as a healer. It does not seem, however, that they considered His power and authority to come from God and/or were thankful enough to glorify God.
Luke 17:20 ¶ And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
I guess the thought that Jesus has the authority and power of God is the connection to this next section. At one point the Pharisees asked Him when the kingdom of God would come. Jesus told them that they would not be able to see it to begin with because it has its being in the people who submit to God as Lord and Savior.
Luke 17:22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
Luke 17:23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
Luke 17:24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
Jesus then turns to His disciples to elaborate on His answer to the Pharisees. He is basically telling them that the earthly kingdom will not be established soon. In fact, the days are coming when they will be wishing to see Him again and will not be able to. (Implied—It will not be in their lifetime.) He also tells them that they can expect false teachers who will hope to take advantage of their desire to see Him (their Messiah) and will claim to have special knowledge of where He is and the ability to take them to Him. Jesus says not to believe them. He declares that His coming will be just as sudden and recognizable as the lightning that flashes in the heavens.
Luke 17:25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Luke 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luke 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Luke 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that He must first suffer many things, including the rejection of the Jewish people as their Messiah. He then goes on to explain that His coming will happen at a time that is comparable to the days of Noah when the flood came and the days of Lot when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. In both instances those who experienced judgment were totally wicked, but they were living “normal” lives. They were eating, drinking, marrying, doing business with one another, planting and building. Suddenly, judgment came. Point is made that as soon as God had ensured that the men of faith were in places of safety, judgment fell and all the wicked were destroyed. Jesus declares that His return will happen in the same way.
It is this comparison to ongoing “normal” lifestyles that tells me that Jesus is talking about His coming to take believers home to His father as described in John to protect them from the coming judgment of the wrath of God prophesied throughout scripture that will follow. It can’t be referencing His final coming in judgment to establish His kingdom and destroy Antichrist since that will be at a time when life is anything but normal.
John 14:1–3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Zephaniah 1:14–17 “The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.”
Revelation 6:15–17 “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”
Luke 17:31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
Luke 17:32 Remember Lot’s wife.
Luke 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
Jesus now gives a specific instruction. When that day comes, you are to flee. Don’t turn back to take anything with you. Trust in God’s provision is the implication. Then He reminds them to “Remember Lot’s wife.” She wasn’t happy about leaving Sodom and looked back with longing to all she was leaving behind in spite of God’s command not to do so. Her judgment was immediate; she became a statue of salt.
Those who are intent upon hanging on to the things of this life will end up losing it all. Those, however, who are willing to forfeit the things of this life in obedience to God will end up gaining everlasting life.
Personal observation: Beginning with verse 26, the narrative is a bit confusing. It is similar to the Olivet Discourse; but as with many prophetic messages, it does not necessarily follow a chronological format. You have to consider what is being said in context with the whole of scripture. I believe the reference in verses 26-29 have to reference the time just prior to the onset of the 70th week of Daniel, a time that will occur when life appears to be proceeding normally. Verses 31-33 directly connect to the message in Matthew 24:16-18 and Mark 13:15-16 that is a warning connected to the abomination of desolation (when Satan declares himself to be God in the temple of God—a specific day) and the need for the Jews to flee to safety. Verses 34-36 are an obvious description of the rapture of believers that occurs before the wrath of God’s judgment begins.
2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
1 Thessalonians 5:9–11 “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”
Reminder: The word “day” references a period of time as well as a specific day, depending on the context.
Luke 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Luke 17:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Luke 17:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Still in the context of recognizing His return, Jesus declares that it will be marked by a time in which two men will be sleeping in a bed and one is taken away and the other left behind; two women will be grinding grain and one is taken away and one left behind. In other words, all of a sudden people will seem to disappear while others will be left behind for judgment. Considering the preceding context, those taken away would be compared to Noah and Lot, while those left behind to experience judgment would be the wicked who had rejected God’s authority over their lives.
Sadly, the examples Jesus uses seem to describe people who are family, yet who will be separated when He removes believers to safety and judgment falls on unbelievers.
Interesting observation by MacDonald: “Incidentally, verses 34 and 35 accord with the rotundity of the earth. The fact that it will be night in one part of the earth and day in another, as indicated by the activities mentioned, displays scientific knowledge not discovered till many years later.”
Luke 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
JFB had a good comment on this verse: “As birds of prey scent out the carrion, so wherever is found a mass of incurable moral and spiritual corruption, there will be seen alighting the ministers of divine judgment….”
Luke 18:1 ¶ And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Luke 18:2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
Luke 18:3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
Luke 18:4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Luke 18:5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
This chapter opens with yet another teaching parable. The purpose of the parable was to illustrate the stark contrast between God’s heart for righteous judgment and the hearts of wicked human judges. The story involves a city judge that is described as having no fear of God or regard for man; in other words, he made judgments according to his own wisdom without caring about what God or man might think. This would indicate that (as stated in verse 6 below) his judgments were often unjust. There was a widow that was very persistent in seeking justice on her behalf in light of wrongdoing against her by an enemy. For some reason the judge ignored her pleas; some commentators posit that she did not have the means to offer a sufficient bribe. Finally, however, he decided that it was in his best interest to render justice on her behalf so she would quit bothering him.
Luke 18:6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
Luke 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
The Lord Jesus then tells His disciples to pay attention to what the unjust judge said. He is saying that if the unjust judge was moved to act on behalf of the woman because of her earnest persistence, how much more ready was God to avenge His elect, His chosen people. I think this reference to His elect applies to both the Jewish people and the followers of Jesus that would become known as the church. Jesus is acknowledging that God is aware of the cries of His persecuted people even though from our perspective it may seem as though the wicked are prevailing. We must remember that God has a plan and that vengeance will be His at the appropriate time according to His will. I can’t help but be reminded of the opening of the fifth seal in Revelation 6.
Revelation 6:9–11 “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”
In Revelation the cry is from those that have been martyred for their faith. They are pleading for God to avenge their blood, and He assures them that they will be avenged after the death of the last martyr of the church age. In other words, He will exact judgment at the time He has determined according to His plan. Once God’s vengeance begins it will be consummated quickly relative to the intervening time period from man’s perspective.
Then Jesus poses a thought-provoking question: Will I find faith on the earth when I return as King? I think this question is a commentary on the weakness of man. It’s easy to have faith when things are going according to our expectations. When, however, those expectations are shaken because the Lord doesn’t intervene in times of testing and persecution as we think He should, we learn how strong or weak our faith is. Jesus seems to be indicating that the intervening time before He returns in judgment will result in their being few relative to the potential that possess faith. He also seems to be inferring that His perceived lack of power and authority due to the spreading influence of evil will result in people deciding that He is not worthy of their faith.
Luke 18:9 ¶ And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luke 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luke 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
The introduction to this next parable is specific—it is to those who were self-righteous and looked down on others. (I assume this would be a reference to most of the scribes and Pharisees.) Jesus tells of two men who went to the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee and one a publican, a hated tax collector. The Pharisee evidently knew who the publican was. He prayed thanking God that he was not an extortioner or unjust or an adulterer like “this” tax collector. He then goes on to praise himself as a righteous man; he fasted twice a week and tithed from all he possessed. Obviously, he felt no need to ask forgiveness for any sin or had any desire to praise God. On the other hand, the publican, who was standing at a distance from the Pharisee, was so full of shame he did not even lift his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast in repentance asking for God’s mercy.
Jesus declared that it was the publican whose prayer was answered, who received forgiveness in answer to his prayer. Though the wording is a bit awkward, it is clear that the Pharisee’s prayer was empty and vain; it did not place him in right standing before God. In fact, it was no real prayer at all; it was a time of boasting before God.
I liked this quote by David Guzik: “True humbleness is simply seeing things the way they are. The Pharisee saw himself as something great when he wasn’t, and the tax collector saw himself as a sinner needing God’s mercy, which he was.”
The application—If you exalt yourself, God will humble you; if, however, you humble yourself before God, you will be lifted up to a position of right standing before Him.
Psalms 34:18 “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
James 4:6, 10 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
Luke 18:15 ¶ And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
Luke 18:16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Luke 18:17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
I think the connecting thought between this section and the last is the heart of God. Luke records a time in which parents were bringing their little children to Jesus just so He would touch them. According to Mark’s account, the parents wanted Him to bless their children.
Mark 10:16 “And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.”
The disciples evidently thought that this was an unnecessary infringement upon Jesus’ time. Jesus, however, saw it differently; He again saw a teaching moment and an opportunity to enjoy the pure response of the children. He told the disciples to let the little children come to Him; in fact, this is how everyone who wants to be part of the kingdom of God must come—as a little child. That was exactly how the publican in the preceding parable came to God in prayer.
Children are like open books. When they come to you by choice, it is because they trust you and expect to be loved just as they are. We must come to God with that same type of faith—totally confident in His love and provision.
Luke 18:18 ¶ And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Luke 18:19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
Luke 18:20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
Luke 18:21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
Luke 18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
Luke 18:23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
After just declaring that one who wants to be in the kingdom of God must come as trusting as a little child in God’s love for you, Luke tells us of another man that came to Jesus asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. This man is described as being one of high rank and great wealth. It’s interesting to note that though he seemed to lack nothing from the world’s perspective, he knew he was lacking. He had no peace and contentment. It’s only through dying to self and yielding to God as Lord that we find the peace and fulfillment that the wealth of this world cannot buy.
As He often does, Jesus responds to the man with a question—Why do you call me good? He then goes on to state that only God is good. He also voices His assumption that the man knows the commandments, and follows that statement by naming five of them—Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, and Honor your father and mother.
I think these commandments were chosen specifically in light of the Spirit’s revelation of the man’s need according to his own perception. He was quickly able to respond that he had kept all these commandments since he was a youth.
Now Jesus zeros in on where he will have to admit he lacks. He tells the man that he lacks only one thing—to sell everything he has and give the proceeds to the poor to accrue treasure in heaven—AND come and follow Him.
In context, Jesus is making reference to another commandment. I believe the man’s response identifies that commandment as the very first—Thou shalt have no other gods before me. His wealth had become his god.
I also think that it is important to note that Jesus included following Him as part of what the man lacked. In context, I think that Jesus is affirming that He is good because He is God. And God is to be loved with all your heart, soul and might.
Deuteronomy 6:5 “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
Luke 18:24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Luke 18:25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Luke 18:26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Jesus saw that the man was really grieved at His answer. He went away with a heavy heart because he just could not bear the thought of giving up his earthly riches. Like so many of us, he just could not grasp the significance of eternal riches vs. earthly riches. He couldn’t grasp that his earthly life is but a vapor that can vanish in a moment, while his eternal existence will be one of time without end.
Jesus then declared that it is really difficult for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God! In fact, it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. This again goes back to the fact that wealth more often than not becomes a “god” to man, a thing that he just can’t fathom doing without—not even to attain heavenly riches and eternal life.
The response of those listening to Jesus is also quite telling. If respected men of great standing and wealth can’t get into God’s kingdom, then who can? We have a propensity for thinking that material wealth is an indication of God’s blessing and approval on one’s life—and that is so not true. It can be, but certainly is not usually the case. The prosperity preachers of today seem to ignore this teaching.
Jesus then declares that though there are things that are impossible for man, nothing is impossible for God. In other words, there are those among the wealthy who will yield to the wooing of the Spirit and realize that to yield all to God now is worth it for the eternal reward.
Luke 18:28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.
Luke 18:29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,
Luke 18:30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
Peter quickly pipes up and declares that they had left all to follow Jesus. Did he realize that following Jesus was the same as following God? It would be interesting to know when they actually gained full understanding of that truth. It seems to me that it had to have been after the resurrection.
Jesus declares that no one who chooses to follow Him—in order to gain the kingdom of God—will have reason for regret. He/she will receive much more both in this life and in the world to come. I believe that the “manifold more” is a direct reference to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer—His continual presence in our lives to provide comfort, wisdom and strength. I believe that “life everlasting” is so much more than just existing forever. It is living as a part of God’s family as a joint-heir with Jesus to everything that belongs to Him.
Romans 8:16–17 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
As a part of the family of God, we become part of a spiritual family that is far larger and more caring than any earthly family.
Luke 18:31 ¶ Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
Luke 18:32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
Luke 18:33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
It’s at this point in Luke’s narrative that he tells us that Jesus tells the twelve disciples that they are heading for Jerusalem and begins to prepare them for the events that would transpire there. He tells them that everything written by the prophets about His sacrificial death at the hands of the Gentiles would be fulfilled; He would be mocked, physically abused, spit on, flogged and finally put to death—but on the third day, He would rise again (from the dead is inferred). Isaiah records some of the most well-known prophecies to which Jesus referred.
Isaiah 50:6–7 “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”
Isaiah 52:13–15 “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:”
Isaiah 53:5–10 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”
Isaiah 53:10–11 “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
Although Jesus would be killed at the hands of the Gentiles, it is important to note that He would be given over to them for that purpose by the Jewish leaders.
Mark 15:1 “And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate.”
I think it is also important to note that Jesus went to Jerusalem willingly to fulfill the scripture, well knowing the cost of the sacrifice He was about to make. Jesus made it very clear to Pilate that it was only because it was according to God’s will that he could exercise any authority over Him at all.
John 19:11 “Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.”
Luke 18:34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
This is a very perplexing verse. We are told that the disciples did not understand what Jesus was saying though it seems that He was pretty plain spoken from my point of view. The fact that they did not understand seems to be because it was hidden from them, and it seems that this hiding was a supernatural work of God. Maybe the purpose was to plant the seeds that would later blossom into recognition in light of His resurrection. Maybe this was a gracious act of God to shorten the time of grief and disappointment ahead of them.
Luke 18:35 ¶ And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:
Luke 18:36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.
Luke 18:37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.
Luke 18:38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
As they approached Jericho en route to Jerusalem, they encountered a blind man that was begging at the side of the road. He heard the crowd passing by him and asked what was going on. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. He immediately cried out—Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. Obviously, this man had heard of Jesus and knew that He was a descendant of David and that He could perform miracles of healing. I wonder if he understood that Jesus was the Messiah; “Son of David” was a recognized reference to the Messiah.
I think it is important to note that the man asked for Jesus to show him mercy. He made no presumption of Jesus granting his request but displayed the faith that if He did respond, he knew he would be healed.
Luke 18:39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Luke 18:40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,
Luke 18:41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
Luke 18:42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
Luke 18:43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.
Those who were in the lead of the traveling entourage rebuked the blind man and told him to be quiet. Instead, the man started crying out even louder. Jesus commanded that the man be brought to Him. He then asked the man what he wanted Him to do for him, and the man immediately asked to receive his sight. Jesus then told him his request was granted because of his faith. Immediately, the man was able to see and joined the crowd following Jesus crying out his praise to God. Taking note of the miracle, the crowd joined him in praising God.
I couldn’t help but contrast the response of this blind man to that of the cripple at the pool of Bethesda (John 5). Jesus asked the cripple if he wanted to be made whole, but his response was one explaining why that could not happen. This blind man’s response to what he wanted was one of faith in expectation of healing. Healing is always connected to one’s faith in God, but healing does not always come according to our expectation. Sometimes it is immediate; sometimes we are made to wait according to God’s good purpose; and sometimes we are taken home to heaven never to suffer again.