544th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables - True Religion Section - Parable of the Good Samaritan Con't. 5th Post - Luke 10: 30 - 37.

Luke 10: 30 -37 Continued 5th Post - The Parable of the Good Samaritan.
We left last post identifying the rescuer.  Of the three, the Samaritan would have the most reasons for not helping a Jew in trouble.  This is Jesus' point.  If you are living for God, you look at other people not as enemies, but as other of God's creation.  Jesus tells us that the Samaritan saw the helpless victim lying there on the road and had compassion for him.  He washed and bandaged his wounds, and took him to an inn and continued to take care of him.  In the morning the Samaritan gave the innkeeper 2 denarii (2 days wages), and said take care of this man, keep track what you spend over this amount and I will repay you upon my return.  This concludes the parable of the Good Samaritan.  Now why did Jesus tell this parable?  If you look in Luke where this parable falls, you will see Jesus had just sent out 72 of His disciples on a mission trip in two's.  The Jews would look at Jesus' disciples and treat them in a similar way as if they were Samaritans. The disciples were not schooled in Religion, as the Pharisees and Sadducees are, nor did they have vast Scripture knowledge.  The Religious leaders thought they were above the common people, and so would not try to help them if they were in trouble.  Jesus was teaching that we all are equal, and only God is above us.  We have to treat everyone like we want to be treated, even if they are our enemies.  This is a very hard lesson to learn, but Jesus expects us to get it right.  How do you score on this??   

543rd Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - The Parable of the Good Samaritan Con't. - 4th Post - Luke 10: 30 - 37.

Luke 10: 30 - 37, 4th Post Parable of the Good Samaritan Continued.
We left last post with the two religious leaders crossing over to the other side of the road without stopping and giving any help.  Jesus then tells us the next potential rescuer is a Samaritan.  It is interesting that Jesus would use this group as the next potential rescuer.  To a Jew, Samaritans are unclean and worse than other Gentiles (non-Jews).  These people were not to be trusted, they were considered to be God-less, and untrustworthy.  The ironic fact of the matter is that the Samaritans were part Jewish.  Hatred of the Samaritans stems from the fall of the 10 tribes of the North of Israel, that were rounded up and moved from their homeland to the lands of Elam by the Assyrians.  The Samaritans, are the ones who the Assyrians could not catch and they gave themselves in marriage to the group the Assyrians put in place of the Jews they deported.  Not only did they give themselves in marriage, but they also adopted the gods these new people brought with them.  I have run out of space again.  Continued next post.

542nd Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. True Religion Section Con't. - Parable of the Good Samaritan Con't. 3rd Post - Luke 10:30 - 37.

Luke 10: 30 - 37 Continued 3rd post - Parable of the Good Samaritan.
We left the story in last post, with the first would be rescuer coming upon the scene and crossing to the other side of the road.  The next potential rescuer who comes is a Levite, who also is a religious leader of sorts and also works in the Temple.  This one also crosses on the other side of the road, not wanting to get involved, or making himself a target in case the people who did the attack have not yet left the area.  This could have been the reason the first one did not stop either.  The road between Jericho and Jerusalem goes over the mountains and is filled with switchbacks as it descends from Jerusalem to Jericho.  This type of road is an invitation for people wanting to use it for ambush purposes.  The terrain provides falling rocks, and caves in which there are potentially many places to hide and wait for unsuspecting victims.  These also provide a place to disappear to.  There are other safer routes from Jerusalem to Jericho, but they take more time and take you way out of your way.  This road was the most direct route between these two cities.  I have run out of space again, will continue next post. 

541st Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - True Religion Con't. - Parable of the Good Samaritan Con't. Luke 10: 30 - 37 - 2nd Post.

Luke 10: 30 - 37 Continued Parable of the Good Samaritan - 2nd Post.
Jesus had just sent out 72 of His disciples, not long before He told this parable.  You probably noticed that Jesus again made a contrast between the sinners and the religious leaders of His day.  The religious leaders could not relate to the common people; they considered the common people sinners, and themselves as sinless.  This caused a major disconnect between the religious leaders and the common folk.  The people perceived that God also was unknowable and disinterested in their lives.  Jesus was trying to change the people's perception of God.  Jericho was a place that had a large population of Priests and Levites living there because of its close proximity to Jerusalem, and they worked in the Temple.  Jesus told us in His story which direction, the poor victim was traveling, but did not note the direction of any of the would be rescuer's.  The first one who happened on the scene after the crime was committed, was a priest.  Being a religious leader, he should have shown compassion on this poor helpless victim.  Jesus did not give a reason for the priest to cross over to the other side of the road.  I have run out of space, will continue next post.

540th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - True Religion Con't. - Parable of the Good Samaritan 1st Post - Luke 10: 30 - 37.

Luke 10: 30 - 37 Parable of the Good Samaritan First post.
A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him,and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a certain priest came down that road.  And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed on the other side.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was.  And when he saw him, he had compassion.  So he went to him, and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine;  and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii (two days wages), gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, "Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you."  So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?  Go and do likewise.
 This was spoken by Jesus about 1 - 1.1/2 years into His earthly ministry.  I have run out of space will continue on next post.

539th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - New Section True Religion - My Comments.

New Section True Religion - My Comments.
Jesus was a new type of Religious Teacher, providing new ways of looking at God and the Scriptures, and the Temple.  The Pharisees and the Sadducees, are the Religious Leaders of the time, and they were responsible for teaching the people.  They were the ones to tell the people what the Words of God as written by Moses were.  Proverbs 3: 5 -6 warns us about the pitfalls of leaning on our own understanding and what God had intended.  Who, but Jesus, could correct the teaching and teach the correct understanding of what God intended for His people.  If Jesus was teaching the Word of God exactly as Moses had, why were the Pharisees and Sadducees, His biggest crittics.  The leaders were trying to live according to the Law of God and the laws of man.  In this section, Jesus will attempt to show the people what was more important to God.  God had intended the Law given to Moses and the animal sacrifices, to show us that we could not get to Heaven on our own, we need a Savior!  Jesus Christ What a Savior!       

538th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - Parable of the Two Sons Con't. - Matthew 21: 28 - 31 Con't. 2nd Post.

Matthew 21: 28 - 31 Parable of the Two Sons Continued, second post.
As mentioned in the last post, Jesus was trying to teach the people how to live for God and achieve eternal life.  The people believed that the rituals of Temple worship would save them.  Jesus was telling them that it is more important to do the Will of God in the first place, then to keep trying to perform enough sin offerings to cover all their sins.  This is a losing proposition.  We left the story last post with both sons lying to their father.  The first son said "he would not go," in rebellion to his father.  Later the son thought about what he had said and how he was acting, he repented and went.  By repenting and going, the first son was doing the will of his father.  The second son said he would go and then did not.  How much is this like us today?  It is said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.  The second son said he would go without complaint, but then, never went.  How many times do we say we will do something, and then other things come up and we fail to complete our obligations.  How many times have you told someone you would pray for them and then did not?  Jesus wants us to live by His Words, and do them.

537th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - The Parable of the Two Sons - Matthew 21: 28 - 31.

Matthew 21: 28 - 31, The Parable of the Two Sons - First Post.
But what do you think?  A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, "Son, go, work today in my vineyard."  He answered and said, "I will not," but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise.  And he answered and said, "I go, sir," but he did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his father?
This was spoken by Jesus during His last week of Ministry before He was to be crucified.  This is one of a string of parables Jesus told during this discourse.  All the Parables have to do with authority.  Jesus told these parables because His own Authority had been questioned.  This parable is pretty straight forward, in that the man had two sons, he asked both to work in his vineyard, the first said no, but thought about it and regretted his answer and went.  The second said he would go, but did not.  It is interesting that both sons lied to their father, but the first son actually did what he was told.  Jesus has been teaching his whole earthly ministry on "How to Live for God and enter the Kingdom of Heaven."  I have run out of space will continue next post.

536th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - New Section on Obedience - My Comments.

I believe this section is started too early, because we have not finished all the parables mentioned in Luke chapter 16.  We will look at those later in this study, I hope.  I have made a note of this and will fix it during my rewrite.  Anyway, Jesus told a parable that dealt with the subject of Obedience.  It is very easy for us to become lax in our day to day life, concerning the things of Christ.  We get bogged down with the worries and cares of this world and forget that to be called a "Christian", there should be enough evidence in your life to prove you are a follower of Jesus Christ.  Jesus has told us over and over in the Gospels, "To be not only a hearer of God's Word, but a doer as well."  When we become a doer, our life changes, because we start living for God and not for this world.   When you have Christ in your life, God comes first, then your family and other people, and you are the last one you think about.  This is completely backwards from the way the world teaches.  The World teaches, take care of you first, then worry about others, and after that you can worry about God, but God is not that necessary.

535th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - Parable of the Clever But Evil Steward Con't. 7th Post - Luke 16: 1 - 13 Con't.

Luke 16: 1 - 13 Continued Parable of the Clever But Evil Steward Con't. 7th post.
We were looking at unrighteous mammon in the last post.  We were trying to explain that even if you are evil, you have to adopt some good qualities, in order to have any social life.  This is where the saying of "Honor among thieves," comes from.  Jesus went on to explain that how well you adopt the social practices will coincide with how successful you are in the world.  The bottom line is that in order to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, and everlasting life, you must not live for the world, but for God.  This parable was spoken by Jesus during His discourse on "Repent or Perish".  The action that Jesus was asking the people He was talking to is the same action, you have to decide what you will do.  Once you are confronted with the Word of God and His Truth, you have to make a decision, are you going to change your sinful ways and walk in the light, or are you going to remain in your sin?  This is the same question we must all answer.  Are you in the world, or in the Kingdom of God, the choice is yours. 

534th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - Parable of the Clever But Evil Steward Con't. 6th Post. - Luke 16: 1 - 13.

Luke 16: 1 - 13 Continued, Parable of the Clever But Evil Steward, 6th post.
Jesus now starts talking about unrighteous mammon.  If you are evil, you cannot be totally evil to everyone.  For if you are, you will find yourself completely alone.  If you are evil to everyone, they will understand that you cannot be trusted.  In order to survive in life, you have to do some things right.  In our parable spoken by Jesus, the steward had only cheated his master.  After he was found out, and before he was fired, the steward cheated the master again.  He was nice to the master's debtor's in the hope that they would in turn be nice to him.  What the steward did to the debtor's, would fall within the teaching of Jesus, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." (The Golden Rule).  Clearly, this steward knows the teaching, but only practices it when it will benefit him.  Jesus teaches us to apply this rule to every one, at all times.  This is what Jesus meant by the phrase, "Make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."  This is not Heaven, only God has the power to determine where you will end up.  I have run out of room again, continued next post.

533rd Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - Parable of The Clever, But Evil Steward Con't. 5th Post. - Luke 16: 1 - 13.

Luke 16: 1 - 13, continued Parable of the Clever But Evil Steward Con't. 5th Post.
In my last post, I was talking about confrontation.  This happens when the Words of Jesus convict you and make you, make a change in your thinking and in your way of living.  The person in our story, did not make such a change.  The title of the Parable, gives you this information, "The Clever, But Evil Steward".  If he had changed, Jesus would have included this information in His story.  We have to remember that merely hearing, or reading God's Word, or the Words of Jesus, does not get us into Heaven.  Satan, knows these Words, but does not practice them.  When we adopt Jesus' Words, into our life and start living His Words, is when and where change happens.  This is the process of being "Born Again".  When you become a believer, you shed your old ways and adopt a new way of living.  This new way of living is seen by others almost immediately, you will look at life differently, and at people differently.  You will feel different inside also, this is called the "Joy of the Gospel."  This post explains the change that should have taken place, but did not.  I still have more of this parable to look at and explain.   

532nd Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - The Clever But Evil Steward Con't. 4th post - Luke 16: 1 - 13.

Luke 16: 1 - 13 The Parable of the Clever But Evil Steward Continued 4th post.
So far, believers and non-believers would act in this same way.  It is here you need to remind yourself that Jesus is speaking on the topic of Repentance or Perish.  With this in mind we will start looking at the rest of this parable.  Jesus was speaking to both Pharisees and Common folk, during this discourse started in Luke chapter 13.  The Parable of the "Rich Man and Lazarus" is this same lesson aimed at the Pharisees in His audience.  I will refer back to this parable when discussing the "Rich Man and Lazarus" parable.  So far in our story there has been no mention of confrontation, this is required for us to realize, that on our own we are on a one way road to hell.  There is no help for us.  Jesus has been talking about the confrontation since Luke chapter 13.  We will not seek God, unless we know that we are completely sinful with out God's help.  When you realize this, you are on the road to repentance.  Unfortunately, it requires more than just knowing you need help, you must do something about it.  I have run out of room again so will continue next post.

531st Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - Parable of the Clever but Evil Steward Con't. 3rd Post - Luke 16: 1 - 13.

Luke 16: 1- 13 The Clever But Evil Steward Con't. 3rd Post.
This parable was spoken to the common folk (sinners), in Jesus' audience.  The common folk are the workers and they have to work in order to receive money needed in order to live.  I'm sure most of you reading this post would fall into this category.  The steward in this story, did not do his job well enough, and was fired for it. The same can be said of us who work today.  References from your previous employer are required in order to obtain work at another place of employment.  This also is true of us working today.  The steward of our story, knows that he cannot expect a good reference from his master.  He tells us he cannot dig, and will not beg for money.  With the expectation of the negative reference in mind, he knows he can not expect anyone else to employ him.  What to do?  The steward believes, that if he calls the master's debtors to him before he is fired, and reduces their debts to the master, he will gain favor with them, and could expect them to receive him into their households after he has left this employment.  So far, we understand the parable, and this makes sense to us.  I have run out of space for this post, will continue next post. 

530th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - Parable of the Clever but Evil Steward Con't. 2nd Post - Luke 16: 1 - 13.

Luke 16: 1 - 13 Continued Second Post. Parable of Clever but Evil Steward.
I am sure you have been waiting for me to start explaining this parable.  On the surface, this parable seems not to fit the usual type Jesus told; and you would be right.  This parable does not seem to have a positive moral, like the other parables do.  It is this fact that makes this parable hard to explain.  I have found it difficult, to find commentaries brave enough to talk on this parable.  And of the ones I have found, they do not seem to agree on what this parable teaches.  I feel I will be right at home, with my explanation because I am sure some will disagree with it.  To try to explain this parable, we must start off finding out to whom this parable was spoken to.  This is part of the theme started in Luke chapter 13, dealing with Jesus' Discourse dealing with "Repent or Perish."  The people Jesus was talking to were both Pharisees and common people, the ones the Pharisees' considered to be sinners.  All of the parables in Luke chapter 16, all deal with this subject and was addressed to these same followers.  In this Parable the Clever but Evil Steward, Jesus is talking only to the common people of His audience,  He will address the Pharisees, later.  Continued next post. 

529th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - The Parable of the Clever But Evil Steward - Luke 16: 1 - 13, 1st Post.

Luke 16: 1 - 13; Parable of the Clever But Evil Steward, 1st post.
There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, "What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward."  Then the steward said within himself, "What can I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses."  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, "How much do you owe my master?"  And he said, "A hundred measures of oil."  So he said to him, "Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty."  Then he said to another, "And how much do you owe?"  So he said, "A hundred measures of wheat."  And he said to him, "Take your bill, and write eighty."  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.  He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon.
This was spoken by Jesus during the third and last year of His earthly ministry.