Frameworks:
Luke's Gospel, chapter 9
For
preliminaries see chapter 1
v.1-9
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
v.10-17
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
v.18-20
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
v.21,22
Jesus Predicts His Death
v.23-27
The Cost of being a disciple
v.28-36
The Transfiguration
v.37-43
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
v.43-45
Jesus Predicts His Arrest
v.46-50
About Greatness
v.51-56
Samaritan Opposition
v.57-62
The Cost of Following Jesus
v.1-9
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
v.1,2
(Jesus commissions
the twelve) When
Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority
to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and
he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the
sick.
v.3
(You need no
provisions) He
told them: “Take
nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money,
no extra shirt.
v.4
(but look for
a friendly house in which to stay) Whatever
house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.
v.5
(if no one welcomes
you, leave them) If
people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust
off your feet as a testimony against them.”
v.6
(so they went
preaching and healing) So
they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the
good news and healing people everywhere.
v.7,8
(Herod heard
and wondered about Jesus) Now
Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was
perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from
the dead, others
that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets
of long ago had come back to life.
v.9
(it can't be
John!) But
Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things
about?” And he tried to see him.
v.10-17
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
v.10,11
(the apostles
return and crowds prevent a quiet retreat ) When
the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done.
Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to
a town called Bethsaida, but
the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them
and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who
needed healing.
v.12
(the disciples
recognise the need to feed the large crowd ) Late
in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd
away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside
and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”
v.13
(when Jesus
suggests they feed them they say we have so little ) He
replied, “You
give them something to eat.” They
answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless
we go and buy food for all this crowd.”
v.14,15
(although there
were at least 5000 there, Jesus sits them all down ) (About
five thousand men were there.)But he said to his disciples, “Have
them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” The
disciples did so, and everyone sat down.
v.16
(Jesus took
the little and fed the whole crowd ) Taking
the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he
gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples
to distribute to the people.
v.17
(there were lots left
over ) They
all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve
basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
v.18-20
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
v.18
(in private
Jesus asks the disciples who people saw he was) Once
when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with
him, he asked them, “Who
do the crowds say I am?”
v.19
(they give various
answers) They
replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still
others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to
life.”
v.20
(Peter declares
he is the Messiah) “But
what about you?”
he asked. “Who
do you say I am?” Peter
answered, “God's Messiah.”
v.21,22
Jesus Predicts His Death
v.21
(he tells them
to keep it quiet) Jesus
strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.
v.22
(and warns then
he must die but will be raised) And
he said, “The
Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders,
the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be
killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
v.23-27
The Cost of being a disciple
v.23
(he teaches
them that to be his disciples, they must be prepared to give up
their lives) Then
he said to them all: “Whoever
wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their
cross daily and follow me.
v.24
(try to save
it and you'll lose it, and vice-versa) For
whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses
their life for me will save it.
v.25
(but then what's
the point of getting the world but losing yourself?) What
good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or
forfeit their very self?
v.26
(if you are
ashamed of him, he'll be ashamed of you when he returns)
Whoever
is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed
of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father
and of the holy angels.
v.27
(the kingdom
is coming soon though) “Truly
I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before
they see the kingdom of God.”
v.28-36
The Transfiguration
v.28
(Jesus takes
the inner three with him up a mountain) About
eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James
with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.
v.29
(as he prays
he shines brightly) As
he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes
became as bright as a flash of lightning.
v.30
(Moses &
Elijah appear with him) Two
men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking
with Jesus.
v.31
(they appear
to talk about his death in Jerusalem) They
spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment
at Jerusalem.
v.32
(the disciples
struggle to stay awake but nevertheless see their glory)
Peter
and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully
awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
v.33
(as Moses &
Elijah appear to be about to leave, Peter suggests shelters for
them [presumably to try to get them to stay]) As
the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is
good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you,
one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was
saying.)
v.34
(but then a
cloud covers them all) While
he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were
afraid as they entered the cloud.
v.35
(a voice comes
from heaven) A
voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have
chosen; listen to him.”
v.36
(but
Jesus is now there alone) When
the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples
kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what
they had seen.
v.37-43
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
v.37
(they descend
the next day, to be met by a crowd) The
next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd
met him.
v.38
(a man cries
out on behalf of his son) A
man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my
son, for he is my only child.
v.39
(he explains
he is possessed) A
spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into
convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves
him and is destroying him.
v.40
(the other disciples
hadn't been able to help) I
begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”
v.41
(Jesus chides
them) “You
unbelieving and perverse generation,”
Jesus replied, “how
long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son
here.”
v.42
(Jesus delivers
the boy) Even
while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in
a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the
boy and gave him back to his father.
v.43
(the onlookers
were all amazed) And
they were all amazed at the greatness of God.
v.43-45
Jesus Predicts his Arrest
While
everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples,
v.44
(Jesus warns
the disciples of his impending arrest) “Listen
carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going
to be delivered into the hands of men.”
v.45
(they still
don't understand) But
they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them,
so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him
about it.
v.46-50
About Greatness
v.46
(the disciples
argue among themselves) An
argument started among the disciples as to which of them would
be the greatest.
v.47
(Jesus takes
a child as an example) Jesus,
knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand
beside him.
v.48
(the kingdom
welcomes children and the childlike) Then
he said to them, “Whoever
welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever
welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who
is least among you all who is the greatest.”
v.49
(John points
out they had to stop another delivering the possesed) “Master,”
said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and
we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”
v.50
(don't do that,
says Jesus) “Do
not stop him,”
Jesus said, “for
whoever is not against you is for you.”
v.51-56
Samaritan Opposition
v.51
(he now sets
out for Jerusalem) As
the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely
set out for Jerusalem.
v.52,53
(but in Samaria
is rejected) And
he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village
to get things ready for him; but
the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for
Jerusalem.
v.54
(James &
John want to call down fire) When
the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you
want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”
v.55
(Jesus rebuked
them) But
Jesus turned and rebuked them.
v.56
(so they move
on) Then
he and his disciples went to another village.
v.57-62
The Cost of Following Jesus
v.57
(a would-be
disciple declares loyalty) As
they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow
you wherever you go.”
v.58
(Jesus warns
he has no home) Jesus
replied, “Foxes
have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place
to lay his head.”
v.59
(another would-be
follower asks to sort out his family needs first) He
said to another man, “Follow
me.” But
he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
v.60
(Jesus says
let the family do it, you've got a task for the time being)
Jesus
said to him, “Let
the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom
of God.”
v.61
(another says
similar things) Still
another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back
and say goodbye to my family.”
v.62
(Jesus says
only the whole hearted can serve in the kingdom) Jesus
replied, “No
one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service
in the kingdom of God.”