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Jesus Calls Us to Repent and Do the Father’s Will (Matthew 21:28-32)

What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. 30 The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. 32 When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him. Jesus tells this parable while speaking with the chief priests and elders in the Temple. Just before this passage, they questioned His authority, and Jesus asked them whether John the Baptist’s ministry came from heaven or from human beings (Matthew 21:23–27). Their unwillingness to answer becomes the backgr...

Jesus Tells His Disciples That the Son of Man Will Be Handed Over (Luke 9:43b-45)

While they were all amazed at his every deed, he said to his disciples, 44 “Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying. The people are amazed at what Jesus has just done. He has freed a boy from an unclean spirit, healed him, and returned him to his father (Luke 9:37–43a). Yet precisely while everyone is marveling at His power, Jesus turns to His disciples and speaks about what lies ahead: “ The Son of Man is to be handed over to men .” Jesus emphasizes that the Son of Man will be “ handed over to men .” In the Greek, the same word for “human being” lies behind both “Son of Man” and “men,” creating a striking contrast: the Son of Man, who receives everlasting authority from God (Daniel 7:13–14), will be handed over into human hands. Luke’s wording also broadens the significance bey...

Jesus Is the Messiah Who Must Suffer and Rise (Luke 9:18-22)

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Messiah of God.” 21 He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone. 22 He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” Luke often presents Jesus praying at important moments in His ministry. Here, while Jesus is praying in solitude with His disciples nearby, He raises the question that has been building throughout the Gospel: Who is He? The crowds have different answers. Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others one of the ancient prophets. These are the same possibilities that had perplexed Herod only a few verses earlier (Luke 9:7–9)....

Herod Is Perplexed by What He Hears About Jesus (Luke 9:7-9)

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”; 8 others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.” 9 But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him. News of Jesus and His works has now reached Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee and Perea. He was a son of Herod the Great and governed the region under Roman authority. Luke has already introduced him as the ruler who imprisoned John the Baptist after John rebuked him for his conduct (Luke 3:19–20). Jesus has been proclaiming the Kingdom of God, healing the sick, casting out demons, and calming the storm. He has also sent the Twelve to proclaim the Kingdom and heal the sick (Luke 9:1–6). News of what Jesus is doing has now reached even Herod, and he is ‘ greatly perplexed ’ by what he hears. People offer several explanations. ...

Jesus Sends the Twelve to Proclaim the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:1-6)

He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal [the sick]. 3 He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. 5 And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” 6 Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere. Jesus has already chosen the Twelve and brought them with Him as He proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom, healed the sick, and exercised authority over evil (Luke 6:12–16; 8:1–3). Now He sends them out to participate directly in His mission. He gives them “ power and authority ” over demons and disease and sends them “ to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal ” (vv. 1–2). Their missio...

Jesus Calls Those Who Hear and Act on God’s Word His Family (Luke 8:19-21)

Then his mother and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. 20 He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” 21 He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” This brief encounter continues a theme that has run throughout this part of Luke’s Gospel: how we hear the word of God. In the parable of the sower, Jesus describes the good soil as those who hear the word, hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance (Luke 8:15). He then warns, “ Take care, then, how you hear ” (Luke 8:18). Now, when His mother and relatives come looking for Him, Jesus brings that teaching to its conclusion. Jesus says, “ My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it ” (v. 21). He reveals that those who receive God’s word and allow it to shape their lives belong to His family. Hearing, therefore, means more than receiving words with our ears or u...

Jesus Calls Matthew and Shows Mercy to Sinners (Matthew 9:9-13)

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. 13 Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Jesus sees Matthew sitting at a customs post and simply says, ‘Follow me’ (v. 9). Tax collectors were widely despised. They collected tolls and taxes for rulers associated with Roman power. In practice, a collector could be responsible for turning over a required amount and then charge people more than that amount, keeping the excess for himself. This made the system open to abuse and gave tax collectors ...

God’s Generosity Exceeds Human Calculation (Matthew 20:1–16a)

The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ 5 So they went off. [And] he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. 6 Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ 8 When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ 9 When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. 10 So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but ...

Jesus Calls Us to Hear the Word and Bear Fruit (Luke 8:4-15)

When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another journeying to him, he spoke in a parable. 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled, and the birds of the sky ate it up. 6 Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew, it withered for lack of moisture. 7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 8 And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” After saying this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” 9 Then his disciples asked him what the meaning of this parable might be. 10 He answered, “Knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been granted to you; but to the rest, they are made known through parables so that ‘they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.’ 11 “This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God. 12 Those on the path are the ones who have heard, but the devil comes and tak...

Jesus Proclaims the Good News of the Kingdom of God (Luke 8:1-3)

Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve 2 and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources. Jesus continues traveling through the towns and villages of Galilee, “preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God” (v. 1). Earlier He had said, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent” (Luke 4:43). The Kingdom is God’s saving rule becoming present through Jesus—seen not only in His preaching but also in His power to heal, free people from evil, forgive sins, and restore them to life with God. Luke tells us that the Twelve accompany Jesus, but he also draws particular attention to a group of w...

Those Who Know How Much They Have Been Forgiven Love Much (Luke 7:36-50)

A Pharisee invited him to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. 42 Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forg...

Jesus Warns Against Rejecting God’s Call (Luke 7:31-35)

Then to what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” Jesus speaks these words after describing the different responses people have made to John the Baptist. Those who accepted John’s call to repentance acknowledged what God was doing, while the Pharisees and scholars of the law refused John’s baptism and therefore “rejected the plan of God for themselves” (Luke 7:29–30). Jesus now shows that the same unwillingness to respond to God is also being directed toward Him. He compares “the people of this...

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