Note: This is a sample of my current paper that I began this week and which is now in the works! It is subject to editing and change as I continue to write this coming week. I am not sure yet if I will do a fb live blog over it. Nevertheless, here's an introduction to it's development! Thanks for reading! Leave a comment or send me a message!
Thoughts on Luke 19 and 20
I have been reading through the book of Luke and focusing on specific passages to study weekly during March, April, and into the month of May in correspondence with our church’s Sunday School material. One thing I enjoy is reading the passages surrounding the main focus passage for the week. In those times when I am able to do this, I am able to put together a bigger picture of what is going on in the text. This is different than an older study habit that I maintained for a long period of my life in which I read the text without taking into consideration the flow of what is going on from chapter to chapter and within the whole book. Often we can study a specific passage without taking into thought some of the ongoing struggles or confrontations that Jesus is having within the wider context and instead we focus solely on a specific 10 verses and never realize how the passages relate to each other. So, today, I want to stop and consider three words that appear in various ways within the context of the 2 chapters of Luke 19 and 20. We will discuss how we see authority within these chapters, how robbery manifests itself and how Jesus refers to robbery, and then we will also look at what Jesus means when he speaks in reference to stones and the overall meaning that this has for the text. Finally, I hope to draw together some application and conclusions that we can pack up and take home with us regarding what we learn from exploring the use of authority, robbery, and stones and how the author portrays these within Luke 19 and 20!
Authority
The most dominating topics for discussion regarding authority within the Biblical context refer to the usage of the word ‘authority’ in reference to the Triune God. How is authority used in reference to Jesus as the Son of God and as the Son of Man? What authority does he hold as the Son of God and what authority does he have when regarded as the Son of Man. What authority does the Spirit have in reference to humanity and to the individual? What authority does the Father have in reference to the Son and the Spirit and in relationship to man? Another hot topic of debate within doctrinal discussions is the authority of Scripture regarding the inerrancy or infallibility controversy. What authority does the Word of God have in the life of the individual and how literal or symbolic should we be in interpreting the Word of God?
As I read Luke 19:1-20:19, I began to identify the uses of authority within each of the 6 segments of texts. Without dealing directly with specific doctrinal issues, I will attempt to put forward some of the issues of authority that can be seen within this passage. The passages that have been analyzed are broken down as follows: Luke 19:1-10, Luke 19:11-28, Luke 19 :29-38, Luke 19:39-48, Luke 20:1-8, Luke 20:9-19. The uses can be organized into an exploration of a) the characteristics and role of the authority of Jesus, b) the believer’s authority, c) Problems of authority: challenged authority, opposing authority, false authority, foolish use of authority, and rejecting authority, and d) authority’s relation to unbelief.
Robbery
The word ‘robbery’ does not pertain to any doctrinal belief so much as it refers to specific sin. Sin itself refers to a deep doctrinal belief that man is alienated from God on account of unbelief and the deeds one does that oppose the truth of God. Robbery is thieving and stealing or taking what is not one’s own without a given permission. There are abundant uses of robbery from simple acts of stealing an object belonging to another person to uses related to virtues such as robbing another of virginity by defiling God-given purity or robbing oneself of abiding in Christ through obeying spiritual truth as revealed by God when one instead willfully persists in sin. There are many uses and forms of robbery.
As I read Luke 19:1-20:19, I began to look at the reality of robbery within these passages. The word is not used any within this section of the text but the noun form “robber” is used once in Luke 10:46. Therefore, I began to look for the intentions and act of robbery rather than the actual use of the word since the normal terminology of robbery is not used except through the use of the word robber. In one instance, a related word defrauded is used and in another instance an act that may normally be referred to as robbery is understood completely different. Robbery can also be seen within two parables within this text but neither refer directly to events as robbery though traces of robbery is insinuated within the text. As a result, I will pursue some of the provoking issues relating to the use of robbery within the 6 passages and characterize those who are being robbed and those who are seen robbing another within the selection and then discuss what results come about as a result of each of the related robberies.
Stone
Stone is neither a doctrinal issue nor a sin. Stone is an object. It is a “hard solid nonmetallic mineral matter of which rock is made” according to Google definition. It is something that can be picked up and held in the hand. It is included as part of God’s creation and seems to have little direct impact on humanity though it has many beneficial and functional uses from providing solid mass to walk on to providing shelter from the elements to being used for its weight to hold something with less mass in place. In its worse form it becomes dangerous when it is propelled by the hand to bring punishment or judgement on another by being cast or thrown at an individual with the intention to communicate contempt or with the intent to harm or destroy. It can be unexpected danger such as when a large object made of stone falls on another crushing it as in the case of a natural disaster or a tornado. Therefore, a stone can kill.
As I read Luke 19:1-20:19, I began to notice Luke’s references to a ‘stone’ or ‘stones’ in this passage. There are three direct references to stones in Luke 19:40, 44, and 20:17-18 that can be analyzed within 2 of the 6 passages. Although these two selections are the main passages we will explore, there are some indirect places within the other 4 of the 6 passages that do not use the word stone and we will explore them differently by asking why does the author not identify any details of a stone or we may compare a different object to a ‘stone’ in the text and see what insights we may uncover.
Comments