Obey The Lord

                                                                     Sunday School Lesson                                         

Lesson: Haggai 1:1-11
                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?” (Haggai 1:3-4).
INTRODUCTION.  No task is ever completed that is never started.  However for some people the biggest problem is not starting a job but finishing what they start.  The Jews who returned to Judah after the Babylonian Captivity needed encouragement about perseverance.  When King Cyrus of Persia issued his edict permitting the Jews to return to their home land (see Ezra 1:1-4), over 42,000 responded (see Ezra 2:64-65).  They laid the foundation for the temple (see Ezra 3:1-13), but opposition from surrounding peoples quickly arose and the people stopped the rebuilding effort (see Ezra 4:1-24).  The first group of returnees arrived in Israel in 538 B.C., but because of the opposition from their enemies, the work was halted for about 16 years until Haggai delivered God’s message to rebuild the temple.  In this week’s lesson, the people didn’t think that the time had come to continue to rebuild God’s house.  However, through His prophet, God’s word to rebuild went forth.  It was most important that God’s people obey His command to rebuild the temple.
II. GOD REBUKES HIS PEOPLE FOR DISOBEDIENCE (Haggai 1:1-6)
A. The historical setting (Haggai 1:1).  Our first verse says “In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying.”  Haggai was very careful to give the exact time when he received “the word of the Lord” meaning God’s message to His people.  Haggai writes that he received this message from God “In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month.”  This would have been the Hebrew month of Elul which corresponds roughly to our months of August-September.  The “first day” of each Jewish month was the day of the new moon and had special spiritual significance (see Numbers 10:10; 28:11-15).  Business was suspended like it was on the Sabbath (see Amos 8:5) and a special burnt offering was brought before the Lord.  As a result, this was an appropriate time for Haggai to give his message to those assembled in Jerusalem.  God’s prophecy to Haggai was directed to “Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest.”  “Darius the king” refers to Darius I the Great, who reigned as king of Persia from 522 to 485 B.C.  He was also known as Darius Hystaspis or Darius, son of Hystaspias.  He continued Cyrus the Great’s policy of restoring the Jewish people to their homeland.  In his second year as king, the Jews continued work on the unfinished temple in Jerusalem and Darius assisted by sending a generous subsidy to help in restoring the temple (see Ezra 6:1-12).  “Zurubbabel” was the civil leader appointed governor of Judah by King Cyrus.  He was also a descendent of King Jehoiachin, the last in David’s line to be king of Judah (see I Chronicles 3:17-19).  “Joshua” was the religious leader and the son of “Josedech” who was the “high priest” when the Captivity took place (see I Chronicles 6:15).  These two Israelite leaders were especially mentioned because they would be needed to help persuade the people to continue to rebuild the temple. 
B. A false view of timing (Haggai 1:2).  Haggai continued his message in this verse saying “Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built.”  Although Haggai gave God’s message to Joshua and Zerubbabel, the civil and religious leaders, it was directed to all the people.  It’s interesting that the Israelites were not called God’s people as they normally were, but God referred to them as “This people” indicating His displeasure with them.  They were of the mind that “The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built.”  But why was it not the time?  No one told them to stop building the temple.  Their attitude about completing the temple revealed their spiritual condition.  After all, the temple was crucial to Jewish life and worship.  Yes, the previous Persian ruler, Artaxerxes had stopped the construction during his reign, but there was no hindrance at this time (see Ezra 4:21-24) and therefore they had no excuse. 
C. A question about their timing (Haggai 1:3-4).
1. (vs. 3).  This verse says “Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying.”   This statement is made in order to stress the importance of the divine origin of the question that God was about to ask in the next verse.  Again, God’s message was given to “Haggai the prophet.”  We know very little about him apart from what is said about him in the book of Haggai.  We do know that he and Zachariah prophesied during the same time (see Ezra 5:1).  A study of the book of Haggai reveals that the prophet had a two-fold ministry.  He was to rebuke and encourage.  The people were rebuked for not continuing the work on the temple, and they were encouraged to begin to build it again.
2. (vs. 4).  The question that the Lord directed to the leaders and the people through Haggai was “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?  The people were saying that it was not time to build the Lord’s house (see vs. 2), but God responded with a question to them: “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?”  This question says something about the life-style of the people.  They were living luxuriously in “ceiled” or paneled houses.  The wealthier Jews spared no expense in decorating their homes, but they didn’t have any time to build God’s house.  The prophet wasn’t speaking against the nice homes the people lived in.  He condemned them for neglecting the house of God which was lying in “waste” or “in ruins” while they had plenty.  The condition of the temple couldn’t be blamed on the Captivity any longer.  It could have and should have been rebuilt.  Note:  When the Jews returned to Judah under Cyrus’ decree, he charged them to build God’s house (see Ezra 1:2-3).  He had even instructed those who remained in Babylon to contribute generously to this project (see Ezra 1:4).  Cyrus also returned 5400 gold and silver temple vessels that had been taken from the original temple (see Ezra 1:6-11).  In addition, some of those who returned contributed generously when they arrived (see Ezra 2:68-70).  So there was plenty available to be used in completing the temple.  We can only wonder what happened to much of this wealth after the temple construction was stopped.  Did they use it for their own homes?  Who knows?  It was supposed to be used for the temple construction and nothing else.  Priorities had changed and worship of the Lord no longer seemed important.
D. A challenge to rethink their timing (Haggai 1:5-6).
1. (vs. 5).  Haggai continued to say in this verse “Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.”  This was a call for God’s people to self-examine themselves.  In other words, they were to think about how they treated the Lord’s house was affecting their lives.  The next verse tells us what God expected His people to consider or think about.
2. (vs. 6).  In this verse the consequences of their “ways” were spelled out in detail as the prophet said “Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.”  Because the people had not given God first place in their lives, their labors were not fruitful.  This is what is meant by the statement “Ye have sown much, and bring in little.”  They had done everything necessary to ensure a good harvest, but their fields were not productive.  Moses had predicted that this would be the result if people neglected God (see Deuteronomy 28:15, 38-42).  In addition, the prophet said “ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm.”  In other words, even the basic necessities of life were not being supplied.  The food, drink and clothing were not sufficient (see Leviticus 26:23-26; Hosea 4:10).  Not only were basic needs not being met, God also said “and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.”  This means that the wage earner couldn’t accumulate anything through his work; it was as if he was putting his wages in a bag filled with holes.  This may have happened because the prices of goods a person bought were so high, but also they may have developed such expensive tastes that their wages didn’t stay with them long.  Note:  God has interesting ways of dealing with those who rob Him in order to enrich themselves.  He allows their self-centered desires to grow faster than their abilities can satisfy them.  He leaves an empty space in them that will remain until they return to Him.  God asks His children to put Him and His kingdom first (see Matthew 6:33).  Then He obligates Himself to provide for all our needs including the economic basics that so many worry about (see Luke 12:13-34).
III. GOD’S RESPONSE TO HIS PEOPLE’S ATTITUDE (Haggai 1:7-11)
A. God’s will declared (Haggai 1:7-8).
1. (vs. 7).  Again, the prophet in this verse says “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.”  As he did in verse 5, Haggai repeated the exhortation “Consider your ways.”  This was another call to action.  The people again needed to think about their behavior towards God and His house.
2. (vs. 8).  Now God’s instructions to the people in this verse was to “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.”  After commanding the people to consider their ways, God told them what they needed to do in order to please Him, namely gathering materials and finishing the temple.  They were instructed to “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house.”  Since no particular “mountain” is named, it seems proper to conclude that this refers to mountainous regions in general where timber grew in abundance.  Evidently, the mountains provided the best source of timber.  Note:  Although wood was a major ingredient needed for building the temple, this command didn’t exclude the gathering of other materials as well.  Some of the stones of the former temple could probably be reused, but additional stones would have to be hewed to finish the walls (see Ezra 5:8).  Whatever materials were needed, the call went out to gather them and build.  The last phrase in this verse gives God’s promise in response to the people’s obedience in building the temple.  God promised “and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.”  The Lord would be pleased that His people had set aside their selfish desires and were giving Him the place He deserves.  However, God’s pleasure and His glorification depended upon their obedience to the commands He had given.  True worship doesn’t focus on the blessings that can be gained by the worshippers (although there are spiritual benefits), but it focuses on the glory that God receives.  To glorify God is to give Him the credit and honor He deserves because of who He is and the work He has done.
B. God’s chastening explained (Haggai 1:9).  In this verse God said “Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.”  At this time God wasn’t being glorified by His people nor was He pleased.Therefore, through Haggai God explained why things had gone so badly for them.The words “Ye looked for much” reveals the great expectations they had for their harvests.The phrase “and, lo it came to little” refers to the small amount of produce the crops brought forth which was a great disappointment to them.  But this was only half of their problem.God also said “when ye brought it (the harvest) home, I did blow upon it.”  It’s quite possible that when the people stored their crops, God sent storms to destroy their barns, thus destroying their harvest.The phrase, “Why? saith the Lord of hosts” indicates that God was about to tell His people why they were having all the troubles they faced.  The people may have assumed that their losses were the result of natural causes, but the Lord said it was “Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.”  The reason why the people were experiencing hardships and loss of their crops was because they had neglected God’s house and His work while they lived for themselves in luxury.But isn’t self-concern always the reason why we neglect God’s work?  I think so!
C. God’s actions detailed (Haggai 1:10-11).
1. (vs. 10).  This verse says “Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.”  Still responding to what was happening to His people because they neglected His house, God said “Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew” meaning that God had even withheld the “dew” from heaven.  In addition, the earth is stayed from her fruit.”  This means that their land didn’t bring forth any harvest or crops.
2. (vs. 11).  In our final verse God continued to say “And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.”  God said that He caused “a drought” or lack of water on everything.  The word “corn” refers to all grains.  The words “new wine” refers to grapes used to make wine, and “oil” refers to olives from which olive oil was made.  Each of these items made up Israel’s major crops.  The people depended on these while neglecting the worship of God.  As a result, the Lord said that He sent the drought to destroy their livelihood and to bring them back to Him.  All of these catastrophes that Israel suffered were the price they paid for their disobedience. 
                         
IV. Conclusion.  Haggai’s challenge from the Lord was simple and direct.  It was time to put God first and rebuild the temple.  God doesn’t want us to build a temple, but He does want us to put Him first in our lives.  When we put Him first in our lives, we know that He will be glorified and that He will be there to give us the help and strength we need.  We should regularly check our priorities and rearrange them if necessary so that God really does have first place in our lives.

 







 

 

The Greatest Commandment

                                                                     Sunday School Lesson
                                            

Lesson: Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 6:4-7; Mark 12:28-34;

                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).
INTRODUCTION.  The scribes and Pharisees often tried to trap Jesus with difficult questions.  Some of their questions they couldn’t answer consistently themselves.  When one scribe approached Jesus with a sincere question, he didn’t show the same hostility that his fellow scribes demonstrated.  He appears to have treated Jesus with respect.  A scribe’s responsibility was to copy and know the Scriptures well.  As the Second Person of the God-head, Jesus fully understood the Scriptures because He inspired them and gave them to His servants (like Moses) who wrote them down.  When questioned by the scribe, Jesus gave a brief yet complete answer without hesitation.  Jesus went directly to the point of a text and let God’s Word speak for itself.  The Bible is authoritative.  This week’s lesson is one example of this.
II. THE SOCIAL MANDATE PRESCRIBED (Leviticus 19:18).   Leviticus 19:9-18 reveals God’s directions for how He expected Israel to relate to their neighbors.  He commanded Israel to care for the poor and the stranger during harvest (see Leviticus 19:9-10), and to refrain from stealing, lying, and swearing falsely (see Leviticus 19:11-12).  In addition, they were not to cheat workers out of their wages, take advantage of the handicapped, or show favoritism in governing (see Leviticus 19:13-15).  Neither were they to spread gossip or bring false charges against a neighbor (see Leviticus 19:16).  God also commanded His people not to harbor hatred for their neighbors, but to deal with them openly (see Leviticus 19:17).   Our lesson begins with verse 18.  We will divide that verse into 18a and 18b in this commentary.

 

A. A prohibition (see Leviticus 19:18a).  The first part of this verse says “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people.”  God intends for His people to have fellowship and live in harmony with our neighbors, even the more difficult ones.  In this verse, God gave two behaviors that His people are to avoid showing “against the children of thy people” which refers to any Israelite.  The first behavior is “Thou shalt not avenge.”  This simply means that God’s people should not seek to get revenge on anyone.  A key to godly relationships is relying on God to fight our battles for us (see Exodus 14:13-14; Deuteronomy 20:4).  Not only were God’s people not to seek revenge on others, they were also commanded not to “bear any grudge.”  In other words, we should not hold any grudges against anyone because in the long run, we are the only ones it affects.  Holding grudges will keep us from being at peace within ourselves.

B. A command (Leviticus 19:18b).  The second part of this verse says “but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.”  Instead of wasting their time getting revenge or holding grudges, God commanded His people that “thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”  To love someone as you love yourself assumes that everyone has a love within that causes them to do whatever is necessary to care for themselves.  God’s people are to have this same concern for the needs of their neighbors (see Matthew 7:12: Romans 13:8-10).  Note:  We normally consider neighbors as those who live near us, but to the ancient Israelite, a neighbor was one of the same family, tribe, or country.  However, God never intended for neighborly love to only be shown to Israelites.  He also included the “stranger” (see Leviticus 19:10) as someone whose needs should be supplied.  God also specifically commanded Israelites to love strangers as themselves (see Leviticus 19:34).  In Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, He taught that a neighbor is any fellow human being (see Luke 10:25-37).
III. THE SPIRITUAL MANDATE PRESCRIBED (Deuteronomy 6:4-7).  This portion of our lesson takes place on the plains of Moab as Moses spoke to the new generation of Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.  He reviewed the covenant God had made with Israel at Horeb or Sinai (see Deuteronomy 5:1-5).  Moses repeated the Ten Commandments (see Deuteronomy 5:6-21) and also implied that God would have also spoken directly with the people, but because they feared Him, they asked that God only speak to Moses (see Deuteronomy 5:22-27).  Of course the Lord agreed to this, placing on Moses the responsibility of expounding the details of the Law to the people of Israel (see Deuteronomy 5:28-31).   In Deuteronomy chapter 6 from which this portion of our lesson comes, Moses began to give details of the Law that emphasized the individual’s personal relationship to God’s covenant.  The commandments, the statutes, and the judgments sum up those details (see Deuteronomy 6:1).  God called for national obedience to His law and the reward for that would be “that thy days may be prolonged” (see Deuteronomy 6:2).  Moses then said to the people, “Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it” and if they were obedient to God’s law, everything would be well with them in the land (see Deuteronomy 6:3).  This is where the second portion of our lesson begins.   
A. Loving God’s Person (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). 
1. (vs. 4).  This portion of our lesson begins with Moses saying “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.”  Moses was about to review “the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments” (see Deuteronomy 6:1) of the Lord with Israel.  However, before doing this, He reintroduced them to the God who had given these commands.  He said “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.”  This statement in Judaism is called the “Shema” which is the Hebrew word for “hear.”  This statement is the core declaration of Jewish faith and practice.  It teaches the dual truths that God is the only true God and that He is the God of Israel. The phrase “The Lord our God is one Lord” indicates that this unique God had chosen to identify Himself with the nation of Israel.  He didn’t do it to ignore the rest of mankind, but because in His sovereignty He chose to manifest Himself to the world through Israel (see Exodus 19:5-6; I Kings 8:41-43; Psalms 67:1-2; Zechariah 8:20-23).
2. (vs. 5).  After reminding this new generation of who God was, in this verse Moses went on to say “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”  The word “love” here means more than mere affection.  It implies commitment, devotion and obedience.  God’s relationship with Israel was one of love and covenant loyalty (see Deuteronomy 7:7-10).  So He asked for their unconditional love in return.  Moses said that Israel was to “love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”  The Hebrew word translated “heart” refers to the inner man, which includes his or her mind, emotions, will, and moral life.  “Soul” refers to one’s life or the whole person.  The term “might” is used in some contexts to refer to force or abundance.  But in this verse, it signifies the whole strength of a person.  Moses was declaring to God’s people that all of a person’s being is to be devoted to the Lord.  Every part of one’s life, whether it is the intellect, the emotions, or the will, is to be committed to worshipping and serving God.  Note:  God had given His people a multitude of laws and decrees.  Out of all of them, absolute love for God was of the utmost importance.  When this principle was followed, all the commandments would be held in proper perspective.                                     
B. Making God’s commands a part of one’s personal and family life (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).  
1.  (vs. 6).  In this verse Moses continued to say “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart.”  The commandments that God had communicated to His people through Moses were not to be forgotten.  They were to be remembered and taken to heart.  God’s commandments were to be memorized, practiced out of fear meaning duty, and also be in the heart (see Deuteronomy 11:18).  Simply put, God’s commands were to be the focus of the way in which one conducted all the affairs of daily life (see Psalms 37:31; 40:8; 119:11).
2. (vs. 7).  Not only were the people to commit God’s word to memory, Moses also said “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”  Since this generation to whom Moses was speaking saw what happened to their parents in the wilderness because of disobedience, they had to be aware that the same thing could happen to a new generation that hadn’t been taught to honor God’s law.  Therefore, they were to “teach them (God’s commands) diligently unto thy children.”  The words “teach… diligently” renders a verb that literally means “to sharpen.”  In this verse it means to impress a truth or concept on someone through constant repetition and reinforcement.  Parents were commanded to teach God’s laws to their children “when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”  However, this does not mean turning every activity into a formal teaching session.  It means using every natural activity in life as an opportunity to communicate devotion to God.  To do this, parents would have to make God’s law a major part of their own daily lives.  Children were to grow up thinking of God’s words as a normal part of life and loving Him as their parents did.  Note:  Teaching our children about God’s word is just as relevant today as it was in ancient Israel.  God wants us not only to love Him exclusively, but also to think about His commandments regularly.  He wants us to teach His Word to our children and conform our daily lives to what the Bible says.  Biblical education starts in the loving environment of a Christ-centered home.  The church is to build on the spiritual foundation laid by the parents for their children.  Parents can teach their children scriptural principles through object lessons, question and answer dialogue, and regular times of family reading from God’s Word.     
IV. THE DUAL MANDATE CONFIRMED (Mark 12:28-34).  The final portion of our lesson takes place during the last week of Jesus’ public ministry.  At that time, He faced intense questioning from hostile critics.  The Pharisees and Herodians tried to trap Him by asking whether it was lawful to pay tribute to Caesar (see Mark 12:13-14).  The Sadducees asked Him if people would marry in the resurrection (see Mark 12:18-23).  Jesus answered both questions in such a way that his critics were silenced (see Luke 20:26, 39-40).  However, a group of scribes and Pharisees who were not going to give up still had another question for Jesus (see Matthew 22:34) and one of the scribes came up to Jesus to ask that question.  This is where the final part of our lesson begins.
A. The scribe’s question (Mark 12:28).  This verse says “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?”  A “scribe” was an expert in the knowledge of the whole body of Jewish law, including God’s written Law and its Jewish interpretation and application.  They also served as copiers, editors, and teachers.  The phrase “having heard them reasoning together” refers to the question and answer session between Jesus and the Herodians and Pharisees.  Having heard the conversation, this scribe noted that Jesus had “answered them well” meaning that Jesus had given His questioners a good answer.  This led the scribe to ask his own question to Jesus which was “Which is the first commandment of all?” This question revealed how focused on legalism the rabbis and Jewish religious leaders were.  They carried on long debates about the commandments, often arguing over the weight a particular commandment carried: great or small, heavy or light.  The rabbis recognized 613 different commandments in the law.
B. Jesus’ response (Mark 12:29-31).
1. (vs. 29).  This verse says “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.”  Before stating the foremost or “greatest” commandment, Jesus quoted the Shema (see the note under Deuteronomy 6:4 above) from Deuteronomy 6:4-5.  As mentioned earlier, “Shema” is a Hebrew word that means “hear” and is the first word in the Deuteronomy 6:4-5 passage that Jesus was about to quote to the scribe.  It appears that Jesus was saying that the “first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.”  However, He was only stating the beginning of the Shema.  Jesus would quote the “first of all the commandments” in the next verse.  Before Jesus quoted the first or greatest commandment, He quoted Moses’ declaration that “The Lord our God is one Lord.”  Just as Moses had done in the wilderness, when Jesus quoted this portion of the Shema, Israel was to be aware that their God was one Lord and was to be worshipped wholeheartedly.
2. (vs. 30).  In this verse, Jesus continued to say “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”  Again Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5 where it speaks of loving God with our heart, soul and might.  However, in this verse, Jesus added the phrase “with all thy mind” which was included in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint.  The phrase “with all thy heart” was not in the Septuagint, but was in the Hebrew translation, so Jesus combined both the Hebrew and the Greek translations.  But His words still mean that we are to love God with our entire being.  Therefore, Jesus stated that loving God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength is “the first commandment.”  The fact that this was the “first commandment” means that it is the greatest of all the commandments.
3. (vs. 31).  Jesus responded further to the scribe’s question adding “And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”  Here Jesus also gave the second greatest commandment.  In Matthew’s account the phrase “And the second is like, namely this” reads “the second is like unto it” (see Matthew 22:39).  In other words Jesus’ two commandments were inseparable.  He said that the second greatest commandment was “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”  One cannot have a wholehearted love for God and not have a selfless concern for our neighbors.  Since we are all made in God’s image, our love for Him should carry over to love for mankind.  If we say that we love God and withhold love from our neighbor, we are nothing but liars (see I John 4:20-21).  In the last part of this verse Jesus concluded His answer with “There is none other commandment greater than these.”  In Matthew’s account, to stress just how important these two commandments were, Jesus also said that “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (see Matthew 22:40).  “The law and the prophets” was the term the Jews used to identify all of their Scriptures.  So in essence, Christ was saying that these two commandments, love for God and neighbor sums up the teaching of all scripture (see Deuteronomy 10:12; Micah 6:8).
C. The scribe’s reaction (Mark 12:32-33).      
1. (vs. 32).  This verse says “And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he.”  The phrase “Well, Master, thou hast said the truth” indicates that the scribe accepted Jesus’ answer with unqualified approval.  Jesus’ words had made a very deep impression on him.  The word “Well” can mean “fine” or “well said.”  It is an exclamation of approval.  The scribe called Jesus “Master” which means “Teacher.”  He recognized Jesus as equal to any rabbi or Jewish teacher.  As a trained lawyer, the scribe had weighed Jesus’ answer clause by clause.  He considered Jesus’ answer to have been well said.  The scribe also affirmed the truth of the Shema that Christ had quoted by reaffirming that “there is one God.”  He also showed that he understood the uniqueness of God by adding the phrase “and there is none other but he.”  The scribe acknowledged that Israel’s God is God alone.
2. (vs. 33).  In this verse the scribe continued to say “And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  After confirming that Israel’s God was the only God, here the scribe added something else to his discussion with Jesus.  He declared that the dual mandate to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor as we do ourselves “is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  In other words, the scribe confirmed that the double law of love is superior to offering sacrifices.  “Whole burnt offerings” were meat offerings to God that were completely burnt or consumed upon the altar (see Leviticus 6:22).  The terms “offerings” and “sacrifices” are often used interchangeably in the Old Testament.  The sacrificial system played a major role in the life of an Israelite.  But the scribe understood that the sacrificial system took second place when compared to these two great commandments.  The Scriptures teach that obedience to God’s commandments is indeed better than sacrifice (see I Samuel 15:22; Psalms 40:6-7; 51:16-17).  The scribe was right in his conclusion.
D. Jesus’ observation (Mark 12:34).  Our final verse says “And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.”  As the scribe was appraising Jesus’ words, Jesus was also appraising him.  This scribe had “answered discreetly” or wisely.  His openness and humility before God revealed a favorable acceptance of Christ’s teachings.  Recognizing that this scribe had a level of insight that was lacking in most of the religious leaders, Jesus said to him “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.”  In other words, Jesus was saying that the scribe was close to the kingdom of God.  But let’s not forget that close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and slow dancing.  Either you’re in the kingdom or you’re not!  The phrase “kingdom of God” refers to God’s spiritual rule over those who have trusted Him through faith in Christ.  Note: To enter the kingdom, one must be born again (see John 3:3) through the work of the Holy Spirit (see John3:5-6) when one trusts Jesus as Saviour (see John 3:14-17).  No doubt, Jesus deliberately made this statement to the scribe to cause further wise thinking on his part.  The scribe had an intellectual knowledge of God’s truth (see Mark 12:32-33), but now he needed to make a faith commitment to what he understood to be the truth.  He needed to take one more step.  He needed to believe in Jesus as his God and Saviour (see Matthew 11:28-30; John 6:35).  Then this man would go from being “not far from the kingdom of God” to being inside God’s kingdom.  The last phrase of this verse says “And no man after that durst ask him any question.”  After this brief discussion with the scribe, none of the religious leaders dared, which is the meaning of “durst,” to ask Jesus any more questions.  Jesus had thoroughly silenced His opponents and even caused one scribe to agree with Him.    
                          
V. Conclusion.  Intelligent agreement with God’s commands is commendable; however it’s not sufficient for entrance into God’s kingdom.  Believers realize that faith which leads to eternal life is an issue of the heart, not merely of the mind.  Therefore, let us demonstrate our saving faith by loving our God and loving others.  This animated love will silence those people whose only desire is to participate in worthless debate and questions.

 

Jesus' Teaching On The Law

                     
                                                                            Sunday School Lesson
                                            

Lesson: Matthew 15:1-11, 18-20
                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8-9).

INTRODUCTION.  God’s laws were not given because He wanted to limit how much fun we could have in life, but to protect us from individual and social sin, and to show us boundaries that reveal our own sin nature.  As Paul wrote, the law served as a tutor to show us our need for Christ (see Galatians 3:19-24).  In this week’s lesson we will examine Jesus’ teachings on the law of God as given in the Scriptures, and how He dealt with the teachings and traditions of the rabbis and elders when they came into conflict with that law.
THE CHALLENGE (Matthew 15:1-2).   Our lesson this week takes place about a year and a half after Jesus began His public ministry.  By this time, the religious leaders had become more opposed to Him and His teachings.  As a result, they looked for, and found more occasions to find fault with Him. The lesson text this week reveals one of those occasions.
A. The challengers (Matthew 15:1).  Our first verses says “Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying.”  This verse is a perfect illustration of how badly the religious leaders wanted to find fault with Jesus.  These “scribes and Pharisees” came to Jesus from Jerusalem.  There were scribes and Pharisees all over Israel, but this group made a concerted effort to go to Galilee where Jesus was ministering just to critique His words and actions.  Note:  The era of the scribes began after the Jews returned from the Babylonian Captivity (see Nehemiah 8:1-5).  In New Testament times Scribes were members of a learned class who were recognized as experts in the law.  They interpreted the law and made their interpretations the rule for Jewish life.  In their interpretations of the law, the scribes often added oral laws referred to as traditions of the elders (se Mark 7:3).  The Pharisees were both a religious and a political party in Israel in New Testament times.  They were known for insisting that the law of God be observed as the scribes interpreted it and for their special commitment to keeping the laws of tithing and ritual cleansing or purity.
B. The issue (Matthew 15:2).  This verse is a continuation of the previous verse.  The scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus saying “Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.”  While it may appear that the scribes and Pharisees were accusing Jesus’ disciples of transgressing or violating the “tradition of the elders,” they were really accusing Jesus.  The “tradition of the elders” were oral and written sayings of famous rabbis or teachers.  These sayings were only commentaries on the written Law of Moses, but they were regarded by these Jewish leaders as equal to the law of God.  In other words, these religious leaders gave rabbinical traditions precedence over God’s Word.  Jesus’ disciples were not accused of violating God’s law, but transgressing the “tradition of the elders.”  The tradition that the disciples were violating was that “they wash not their hands when they eat bread.”  The issue was not simply cleanliness, but ceremonial purity.  Mark’s Gospel tells us that the Jews washed whenever they came from the market, where they would come in contact with Gentiles who were considered unclean (see Mark 7:2-4).  The scribes and Pharisees also applied this ritual cleansing to other objects such as cups, pots, vessels and tables, all of which may have been handled by Gentiles shopping in the market.
III. THE REJOINDER (Matthew 15:3-9) 
A. Jesus’ counterchallenge (Matthew 15:3).  This verse says “But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?”  Instead of answering their question directly, Jesus brought up the underlying issues of the question that the Jewish leaders had asked.  It involved what spiritual authority a person should follow: human tradition or divine revelation.  The scribes and Pharisees placed emphasis on the rules made by rabbis which were not commanded in Scripture.  So Jesus asked “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?”  These Jewish leaders had condemned the disciples for breaking or violating the tradition of the rabbis, but Jesus accused them of transgressing or violating God’s command in order to keep their tradition. 
B. God’s command (Matthew 15:4).  In this verse, Jesus gave an example of how these religious leaders put tradition over God’s commands.  He said “For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.”  Jesus stated the fifth commandment “Honour thy father and mother” (see Exodus 20:12) but He also added the consequences of not obeying this law: “and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death” (see Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9).  These words were God’s direct revelation to Moses which the Jewish leaders claimed to reverence and obey.  Note:  Jesus immediately recognized that the religious leaders from Jerusalem were not seeking Him for good, so He had a Scriptural response ready to their ridiculous question.  This teaches us as  Christians to devote ourselves to prayerfully studying God’s Word so that the Holy Spirit can bring up in us a powerful defense of our love, obedience, and unwavering faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ (see I Peter 3:15).
C. The Pharisees’ evasion (Matthew 15:5-6).
1. (vs. 5).  In this verse Jesus continued to say “But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me.”  The phrase “But ye say” puts emphasis on the scribes and Pharisees instead of on God.  The point Jesus was about to make was that tradition of the elders and rabbis had found a way to get around this Mosaic command.  As a person honored their parents, they were expected to support them financially in their old age.  But according to rabbinical tradition, a son could take the property set aside to help his parents and claim that “It is a gift.”  This means that it was devoted to God for sacred use and not be used by his parents. The Hebrew word for this type of gift is “Corban” (see Mark 7:11) which means “gift” or “offering.”  It originally referred to any offering a person might give.  However, according to tradition and not God’s Word, once given, the offering could not be taken back or changed.   But the gift could remain in the possession of the giver who said they dedicated it to God.  Thus the giver was actually not giving up anything.  The phrase “by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me” can be translated as “I have dedicated to God what might have been used to relieve your need.”  It’s true that the person in Jesus’ illustration may not have actually cursed his parents, but this heartless disrespect for their parents was just like cursing them.  Note:  The same error of the scribes and Pharisees exists today.  There are religious people who often add tradition to God’s Word which ends up contradicting it.  If we think that we can gain God’s favor by reciting creeds, liturgical observances, or family practices, we are violating biblical teaching on salvation by grace alone.
2. (vs. 6).  In this verse, Jesus went on to say “And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.”  Because the rabbis had come up with this tradition surrounding “Corban,” Jesus here said that it allowed a son not to honor his father or his mother, and would be free to do it.  As a result, Jesus said “Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.”  In other words, by putting tradition ahead of God’s Word, the religious leaders were making God’s law worthless.  Note:  As mentioned earlier, these traditions were oral and written sayings of famous rabbis.  While these sayings were only commentaries on the written law, they were regarded as equal to the law of God.  The rabbinical traditions took precedence over God’s Word.  
D.  Jesus’ condemnation (Matthew 15:7-9). 
1. (vs. 7).  Still talking to the scribes and Pharisees, in this verse Jesus said “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying.”  Jesus called His opponents “hypocrites” which comes from a word that means “to act out a part in a play.”  Therefore, a hypocrite is an actor, one who pretends to be someone he is not.  In the New Testament this word is used to describe someone who professes to be devoted to God but has nothing real behind it.  Then Jesus said “well did Esaias (a variation of Isaiah) prophesy of you, saying.”  The Lord was telling the scribes and Pharisees that Isaiah was prophesying about them when he said what’s quoted in the next verse.
2. (vs. 8).  This verse gives the first portion of Isaiah 29:13 that Jesus quoted.  “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”  Isaiah originally spoke these words against the hypocritical Jews of his day who were spiritually asleep and unable to understand God’s revelation.  They had boldly professed religion with their lips but their hearts were far from God.  By quoting this Scripture, Jesus was saying that this prophecy could just as easily apply to the scribes and Pharisees.  These religious leaders made long, loud, prayers in public places.  They easily quoted the rabbis.  To the average Jew, they were the epitome of godliness.  But despite their words and actions, they were far from God.  Jesus quoted Isaiah 29:13 from the Septuagint or the Greek translation of the Scriptures.  Note:  When we compare Jesus’ words in this verse with the King James Version of Isaiah 29:13, they appear to be different.  However, Jesus quoted from the Septuagint or the Greek translation of the Scriptures. The Septuagint is the oldest Bible translation in the world.  It was made in Alexandria, Egypt where the Old Testament was translated from Hebrew into Greek for the benefit of the Greek-speaking Jews in that city.  A Jewish community had existed in Alexandria almost from its foundation by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C.  Two or three generations after this, these Jews had forgotten their native Palestinian language.  They realized that they needed the Hebrew Scriptures translated into the only language they knew which was Greek.  The first section of the Hebrew Bible to be translated into Greek was the Pentateuch or the first five books of the Old Testament some time before 200 B.C.  Other parts were translated during the next century.   
3. (vs. 9).  The second part of this prophecy that Jesus quoted says “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”  Jesus told the religious leaders that since they put tradition above God’s commandments, their worship of God was “vain” or empty.  Isaiah told the Jews of his day that all the things they did in worship was worthless because they were “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”  In other words, they taught the tradition of the rabbis or “the commandments of men” as if they were “doctrines” which refers to God’s commandments.  These scribes and Pharisees robbed widows (see Matthew 23:14), led Gentile worshippers astray (see Matthew 23:15) and disregarded justice, mercy, and faith (see Matthew 23:23).  Jesus also said they were like cups that were clean on the outside but filthy inside (see Matthew 23:25-26).  This had become such a way of life for the scribes and Pharisees that they now considered their traditions were really God’s commands.  The Pharisees knew a lot about God, and so does Satan (see James 2:19), but they didn’t know God.  It’s not enough to act religious.  Our actions and attitudes in worship must be sincere.  If they are not, then Isaiah’s words also describe us.   
IV. THE LESSON (Matthew 15:10-11, 18-20)      
A. A word for the multitude (Matthew 15:10-11). 
1. (vs. 10).  At this point, this verse says “And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand.”  After having addressed the issue of what has authority the Scriptures or tradition, Jesus prepared to answer the Scribes and Pharisee’s original question regarding what makes a person spiritually unclean.   He then called the multitude closer which seems to indicate that what Jesus had said previously was spoken to the scribes and Pharisees privately.  However, the multitude was close enough to know what the dispute was about, but they hadn’t heard Jesus’ comments about where authority laid, with tradition or God’s commandments.  Jesus then commanded the crowd to “Hear, and understand” His answer regarding whether a person can be defiled by what he or she ate with unwashed hands.  He wanted them to be clear and not confused about the subject.      
2. (vs. 11).  In this verse, Jesus speaking in a parable went on to say “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”  In essence Jesus was saying that what a person eats does not defile or make him or her unclean spiritually.  What does defile or corrupt a person are the things that “cometh out of the mouth” meaning their words.  Jesus was referring to the Jewish regulations concerning food and drink.  Note:  The law stated what foods a Jew could eat and could not eat (see Leviticus 11:1-23), but it had nothing to do with their spiritual condition.  These regulations in the Mosaic Law were given to show that Israel was a special people to the Lord, and different from all other peoples.  Jesus didn’t give any further explanation of His words to the multitude.  He left it up to them to interpret it.  Those who had spiritual insight would either understand what He meant by “that which cometh out of the mouth” or they would seek further enlightenment.  To those who had no spiritual insight, Jesus’ words would remain simply a riddle.
B. A word for the disciples (Matthew 15:18-19).  Verses 12-17 are not part of our text but they deal with the concerns expressed to Jesus by His disciples.  They were worried that the scribes and Pharisees were offended by His words to them (see Matthew 15:12).  Jesus told them not to concern themselves with that, because these Jewish leaders were spiritually blind and were not fit to teach anyone.  That would be like the blind leading the blind: they both would fall into a ditch (see Matthew 15:13-14).  Peter then urged Jesus to explain His parable to them (see Matthew 15:15).  After rebuking His disciples for not understanding what the parable meant (see Matthew 15:16), in Matthew 15:17, Jesus said to His disciples “Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?”  In other words foods go through the digestive system and come out as waste not affecting a person’s spiritual condition.  In essence Jesus was saying that all meats were clean and allowed to be eaten by His people (see Mark 7:19).  This is where the remaining portion of our lesson begins.
1. (vs. 18).  Still talking to His disciples Jesus said in this verse “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.”  Jesus was saying that the real problem is a wicked heart.  The source of a person’s defilement is within that person and is shown by our words and our actions.
2. (vs. 19).  Jesus continued to say in this verse “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”  Jesus mentioned several sins that come from the heart or from within a person.   First is “evil thoughts” which refers to corrupt ideas that lead to any and all of the sins that follow including “murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness” which violate commandments six through nine.  “Blasphemies” refer to slanders against either God or man.  “Blasphemies” are violations of the two great commandments to love God and one’s neighbor (see Matthew 22:35-40).       
C. A final summary (Matthew 15:20).  In our final verse Jesus says “These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”  The phrase “These are the things which defile a man” refers to the sins that He had just listed which come from within.  Of course this list of sins is not exhaustive.  There are many more that Jesus could have included.  The answer to the scribes and Pharisees’ question and Jesus’ conclusion is that “to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”  Jesus proved His point by quoting Scripture from God’s Word and not from tradition.  He gave the law its proper place and set aside the traditions of men.  As the One who fulfilled all the law (see Matthew 5:17), Jesus had the right to abolish all the Jewish dietary practices because at this point they had served their purpose (see Romans 10:4; 14:3; I Timothy 4:1-5).   
                   
V. Conclusion.  Jewish tradition, built over a long time, had taken the place of Scripture.  Man-made traditions and outward actions cannot make us what we need to be before God and others.  What’s most important is what we are inside.  Human traditions may have their place, and they can be helpful if we use them intelligently.  But we must not confuse traditions with or substitute them for biblical teaching.  Wise is the person who has studied the Bible enough to know the difference.


 

 

 







 

 

 

 







 

 

 

 

 

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Jesus' Mission on Earth

                    
                                                        Sunday School Lesson
                                            

Lesson: Luke 4:14-21
                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  Critics will say that Jesus was nothing more than a simple yet wise itinerant or travelling preacher.  However, the Bible is consistently clear in presenting Jesus as the Son of God and the promised Messiah.  In this week’s lesson we will see that Jesus clearly stated that He was the Messiah prophesied by the Old Testament prophets.  Jesus’ ministry was clearly in fulfillment of what the prophets foretold that the Messiah would do.
II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist (see Matthew 3:13-17), He was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by the devil.  After His victory over Satan in the wilderness, Jesus went to where John was baptizing in Bethabara, east of the Jordan (see John 1:28-29).  While there, He chose His first five disciples (see John 1:35-51) and then returned to Galilee where He performed His first miracle in Cana (see John 2:1-12).  Jesus then attended a Passover in Jerusalem, where He performed other miracles and met with Nicodemus (see John 2:13-3:21).  After spending time baptizing in Judea (see John 3:22-36), Jesus returned to Galilee, evangelizing as He went through Samaria (See John 4:1-42).  This is when Jesus and His disciples returned to Galilee according to our text in Luke.
III. A MINISTRY IN GALILEE (Luke 4:14-15)    
A. Jesus’ return (Luke 4:14).  Our first verse says “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.”  Jesus returned to Galilee “in the power of the Spirit.” From the moment of His baptism forward, the Holy Spirit was the indwelling and empowering personal force that characterized Jesus’ ministry.  Even though Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity, His ministry was carried out in the strength and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Note:  Luke noted three important points in the progression of events surrounding the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.  As He prayed at the conclusion of His baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove (see Luke 3:22).  Immediately after that, being filled with the Holy Spirit, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested (see Luke 4:1).  Soon after His testing was finished successfully, Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Ghost.   Just as the Holy Spirit was present with and in Jesus throughout His ministry, the Holy Ghost also indwells every believer, helping us to live the holy life that pleases God (see I Corinthians 3:16; 6:17-19).  When Jesus returned to Galilee, “there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.”  Jesus had already gained a reputation by performing miracles at Jerusalem during the Passover (see John 2:23).  So when He arrived in Galilee, His home province, those who had attended the Passover welcomed Him back.  He had become a Galilean celebrity.
B. Jesus’ influence (Luke 4:15).  This verse says “And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.”  As Jesus ministered in Galilee, He regularly attended the synagogue on the Sabbath where He would teach on His own authority while causing amazement and spiritual hunger among His listeners (see Matthew 7:28; Luke 4:31-32, 36).  The Greek word for “synagogue” means “a place of assembly.”  “Synagogues” functioned as places to teach from the Scriptures and to worship God.  Note:  The institution of the synagogue didn’t exist prior to the Babylonian Captivity, but apparently was born during that time as a way of holding the exiles of Israel together after the temple was destroyed in Jerusalem.  Over time, these gathering places were used for prayer and study and as community centers.  Today, synagogues are located wherever Jewish people are found.  Ten Jewish males (called a “minyan”) are required to hold a synagogue service.  For Orthodox Jews, the tradition is that worshippers must live within a few hundred yards of the synagogue, which is the traditional distance a Jew can walk on the Sabbath day.  As Jesus “taught in their synagogues,” He was “glorified of all.”  This means that the people praised Jesus.  Even though later in His ministry Jesus would face much opposition from the religious leaders and even be abandoned by His disciples (see Luke 18:47; 20:19; John 6:60, 66), at this particular time He was popular with the crowds.
IV. A SABBATH IN NAZARETH (Luke 4:16-21)      
A. Attending the synagogue service (Luke 4:16).  Still referring to Jesus, this verse says “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.”  Sometime later, Jesus returned to “Nazareth, where he had been brought up.”  The village of “Nazareth” was located in the province of Galilee.  It’s not mentioned at all in the Old Testament or in any early Jewish writings.  It appears that if Nazareth hadn’t been mentioned in the New Testament we would’ve never heard of it.  The phrase “where he had been brought up” refers to Jesus’ early life.  But very little is recorded in the gospels about His early life.    It had become Jesus’ custom to go “into the synagogue on the sabbath day.”  The Sabbath Day was the Jewish day of rest from all work, but by Jesus’ time, it had also become a day of worship and teaching.   Whenever Jesus visited the synagogues He also “stood up for to read.”  Visiting rabbis or teachers were often given the honor of reading and expounding the Word of God in the synagogues.  It was normal practice for the Scriptures to be read while standing, but they were explained from a sitting position as we shall see in verse 20.
B. Reading the prophecy (Luke 4:17-19).
1. (vs. 17).  This verse says “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written.”  When Jesus stood up to read, “there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias.”   The “book” that was given to Jesus was actually a scroll, pieces of dried skin sewn together with the two ends attached to two wooden sticks.  This particular scroll was “the book of the prophet Esaias” or Isaiah.  When Jesus unrolled or “opened the book, he found the place where it was written.”   The Scripture Jesus found to read was Isaiah 61:1-2 which was a prophecy of what the Messiah would come to do. 

2. (vs. 18).  The passage Jesus read said “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.”  This Scripture reading began with “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.”  Jesus was indwelt and empowered by “The Spirit of the Lord” or the Holy Spirit (see Luke 3:21-22).   The power of the Spirit of God “anointed” the Messiah to do several things according to this verse.  The word “anoint” means to appoint a person to a particular work or service.  The “anointed” person belongs especially to the Lord.  Both Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean “anointed one.”  This verse lists five works that the Messiah was commissioned to do when He came.

a. He was anointed to “preach the gospel to the poor.”  The word “gospel” means “good news.”  The coming Messiah would “preach” or proclaim the good news to the “poor.”  The word “poor” here refers to all those who recognized not only their material need, but also their spiritual need (see Matthew 5:3; James 2:5). 
b. The Messiah was anointed to “heal the brokenhearted.”  The word “heal” can also mean “to bind up.”   The “brokenhearted” were those who recognized that their deplorable condition was ultimately due to sin and therefore they looked to Christ for complete restoration.
c. The Messiah was also anointed to “preach deliverance to the captives.”  The word “captives” may have originally been understood to refer to those who would become captives in Babylon.  But the true fulfillment in the word “captives” includes everyone who is held captive by sin.  During Jesus’ ministry some who believed in Him stated that they had never been in bondage to any.  But Jesus replied that anyone who lives in sin is in bondage to it (see John 8:31-33; Romans 6:16; II Peter 2:19).  Only through faith in the Son of God could those captive by sin receive “deliverance” or become truly free (see John 8:32-36). 
d. The Christ was anointed to preach the “recovering of sight to the blind.”  This phrase is not part of Isaiah 61:1, but the idea is found in several other passages in Isaiah’s prophecy (see Isaiah 42:7, 16).  During His public ministry, Jesus gave physical sight to the blind (see John 9:1, 7).  However, as the Light of the world (see John 8:12), Jesus also gave sight to those who were spiritually blind (see Matthew 15:14; 23:16-17; II Corinthians 3:14-16; 4:3-4).  Through faith in Him they were no longer like prisoners bound in darkness (see John 9:38-41).
e. The Messiah was also anointed “to set at liberty them that are bruised.”  The word “bruised” can mean “broken in pieces” or “oppressed.”   In Jesus’ day, this included people who were demon possessed (see Luke 4:31-37), experiencing long incurable illnesses (see Matthew 8:14-15; 9:27-31; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 13:10-13), or oppressed by unbearable requirements of Jewish and Roman law (see Matthew 19:1-12; John 8:3-11).  Jesus set them free by giving their lives new meaning, joy and purpose.
3. (vs. 19).  Above all, this verse also says Messiah was anointed “To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”  This refers to the “day of salvation” Isaiah prophesied about (see Isaiah 49:8; II Corinthians 6:2) that Jesus was now introducing.  The phrase “acceptable year” does not refer to any particular year, but to a season or a divinely appointed time when the Anointed One of Israel would come to rescue His people from their sin through the gospel message.  As Jesus began His ministry that divinely appointed time had come.   “The acceptable year of the Lord” was a Jewish way of refering to the Year of Jubilee (see Leviticus 25:8-11).
C. Applying the Scripture (Luke 4:20-21). 
1. (vs. 20).  This verse says “And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.”  When Jesus finished reading, He “closed the book” meaning He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the “minister.”  The term “minister” here refers to an attendant.  Every synagogue had at least two officials, a ruler (see Mark 5:35-36; Luke 8:41; 13:14) and an attendant.  The ruler was responsible for the building, the property and overseeing worship.  The attendant or “minister” was responsible for the maintenance of the building and its furnishings, which included the sacred scrolls from which Jesus read.  After Jesus gave the book back to the attendant He “sat down.”  As noted in the commentary on verse 16, in the first century synagogue, sitting was the usual position for a teacher.  The Scriptures were read while standing, but the teacher would then sit as they explained the Scripture.  Note:  It’s important to note that Jesus stopped short of reading the last portion of Isaiah 61:2 which says “and the day of vengeance of our God.”  The reason Jesus didn’t read that portion is because at His first coming, His ministry was about redeeming the lost.  Luke 19:10 says “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  The part that Jesus didn’t read “and the day of vengeance of our God” refers to Christ’s second coming when He will destroy God’s enemies and set up His kingdom on earth (see II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 19:11-16).  The Old Testament prophets didn’t distinguish between the two advents or comings of the Messiah: instead they viewed the coming of Christ as one event.  They didn’t mention the present church age which separates Christ’s first advent from His second advent.  After Jesus sat down preparing to expound on the Scripture He read, the last part of this verse says “And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.”  The Greek verb translated “fastened on” indicates strong anticipation.  In other words, they were sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear what Jesus had to say.  This eager anticipation was heightened by the teaching reputation Jesus already had (see Luke 4:15).
2. (vs. 21).  Our final verse says “And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”  What Jesus said was simple and direct.  He declared “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”  The tense of the verb rendered “fulfilled” signifies that the words of Isaiah 61:1-2 that Jesus read had been fulfilled and were being fulfilled right up to that present moment.  In no uncertain terms, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah.  The words of Isaiah 61:1-2 found their fulfillment in Him.          

                           

V. Conclusion.  In Jewish synagogues, guest rabbis and other important people were regularly called on to read Scripture and expound on it; so it was not unusual for Jesus to be given that privilege.  His reputation preceded Him and the leaders of the synagogue were pleased to grant Him the honor.  After reading a select portion from the Prophet Isaiah, Jesus applied it to Himself, thus making a claim to be the Messiah.  Jesus’ first advent on earth was to declare salvation and provide the sacrifice for it.  But only those who trust Him can experience its blessings.  Those who don’t will experience the portion of Scripture that Jesus didn’t read “the day of vengeance of our God.”