Tag Archives: Pharisee

Jul 31 2014

Church Growth Picks Up Momentum – Acts 6

Line of Jewish high priests. Woodcut from the ...

Line of Jewish high priests. Woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Once the deacons were appointed, the apostles were free to concentrate their efforts on delivering the word is God. Verse 7 says that the number of disciples multiplied greatly and that among those were even priests that were converted. This was significant for a couple of reasons. First, having priests converted into the church demonstrated the validity of the gospel in a big way. These men of God knew His word, and by becoming Christians they were telling the world that they believed the Messiah had come and that salvation was freely available to all.

The other side of that coin is that the priests who did not convert (particularly the Sadducees and Pharisees who were already hostile to Jesus and now to His apostles) were already jealous of the attention and reverence that was given to the apostles. Add to this the “loss” of priests to Christianity, and the hostility would work them up to a frenzy in belief that something had to be done to stop these followers of Jesus.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Acts here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 2 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Please check out my Books and my Facebook Author’s Page. You will find the links at this site’s menu item “The Author’s Books“.

 

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May 15 2014

Jesus Weeps For Jerusalem – Luke 19

Titus Destroying Jerusalem by Wilhelm von Kaulbach

Titus Destroying Jerusalem by Wilhelm von Kaulbach (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In verse 41, on His approach, Jesus weeps for Jerusalem. Here, He shows not only His compassion for a people that would put Him to death, but also His deity. Being both man and God, Jesus had a love for them, just as God Himself had always had for His people. But their rejection of the Lord (this time of His Son) would finally exact a price higher than that of the Babylonian captivity. The city, He says, will be surrounded by its enemies and torn asunder, stone by stone. There can be no doubt that Jesus was here predicting the fall of Jerusalem at the hands of Titus and his troops in A.D. 70.

Jesus then cleanses the temple, driving out those who sold inside the perimeter. Afterward, He began teaching in the temple every day. While He did, the Pharisees and scribes “were seeking to destroy him.” But it was not time just yet, so they could not find a way to do so; and all of the people around the Lord served as a buffer between them and Jesus.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 2 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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May 6 2014

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector – Luke 18

Luke tells us that Jesus “told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt.” This description causes us to infer, of course, that at least some of those He told it to were Pharisees themselves. The parable is about two men – one a Pharisee, a member of an elite group of religious leaders of the day that had a reputation not only for their knowledge of God’s laws, but also for their piety and rigid adherence to those laws as they themselves had interpreted them (most often more stringently than God had intended). The other man was a tax collector – not a mere collector of revenue as we think of them today, but one who would by way of their practices in those days certainly be a great sinner (for an elaboration of the corrupt system that they were a part of, see this previous post).

The Tax Collector

The Tax Collector (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Pharisee thanks God for his own righteousness, and that he is not like those who commit great sins (such as the tax collector himself). He then lists some of those good things that he does that set him apart from others. The tax collector, on the other hand, recognizes that he is a sinner; and he confesses that to God in prayer, asking for His forgiveness and mercy. Jesus told them that unlike the Pharisee, the tax collector left the temple justified, for he who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

All through His ministry, Jesus promotes humility, humbleness, love, and service to others. In Mark 9:33-37, He says that “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Paul who reminds us that nobody is without sin (Romans 3:10), says in 2 Corinthians 11:30 “if I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” It is this sort of humble and contrite heart that pleases God. Proverbs 3:34 tells us that God gives favor to the humble. Burton Coffman most appropriately quoted Rudyard Kipling in this matter. We’ll leave you with this excerpt from his poem “Recessional:”

The tumult and the shouting dies;
The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Apr 22 2014

Justification – (Luke 16)

Jesus had just told the parable of the dishonest manager, saying that you cannot serve God and money. Then we find in verse 14 that the Pharisees (who the text says were lovers of money) ridiculed Him. What follows this ridicule begins with Jesus giving it back to them in righteous rebuke. But then it appears that He drifts to a couple of unrelated and random subjects. But are they really?

English: Jesus disputes with the Pharisees. Fr...

English: Jesus disputes with the Pharisees. French School. In the Bowyer Bible in Bolton Museum, England. Print 3861. From “An Illustrated Commentary on the Gospel of Mark” by Phillip Medhurst. Section Q. disputes with the establishment. Mark 10:2-12, 11:27-33, 12:13-27, 12:35-37. http://pdfcast.org/pdf/an-illustrated-commentary-by-phillip-medhurst-on-the-gospel-of-mark-section-q-to-r (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

His initial answer is obviously addressed to the Pharisees because He addresses them in the second person, saying “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” The Pharisees were very good at imposing laws on others that did not come from God, but they were equally adept at justifying whatever suited them.

So in verse 16, He tells them that “the Law and the prophets” were until John (the baptist). But then, the good news of the kingdom of God has begun to be preached. The last part of that verse is difficult, as it reads “everyone forces his way into it.“ What this probably means is that everyone wants to get into the kingdom, but they want to do it on their own terms – rather than on God’s terms. He then says in verse 17 that it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one “dot” of the law to become void.

To put that last part into perspective, we must refer to Matthew 5:18, which says “not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished,“ which means of course, until Jesus finishes what He came for. But the point is the rebuke of the Pharisees, who seek to justify what is an abomination to God. It was then that He pulled the next punch to illustrate the point, saying “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.” Of course, we know from Matthew 5:32 that the reason of sexual immorality is an exception to this, but that is beside the point. The mere fact that men – including the Pharisees – had continued to relax their standards concerning divorce did not negate what God had ordained.

Putting this all together in that perspective, it all also flows after the parable of the unjust steward. That parable also shows how men try to justify the wrong they do when it suits them to do so. It is a logical procession that Jesus obviously saw coming before He even began that parable.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Apr 14 2014

Into the Streets and Lanes – (Luke 15)

Jesus continued to draw large crowds as His ministry continued. Now more than ever before, it seems the tax collectors and sinners drew nearer to Him to hear what He had to say. This of course raised the hackles on the Pharisees, who grumbled about such a scandalous thing – a supposed man of God consorting openly with those who were known to be living contrary to God’s word.

The Lost Drachma

The Lost Drachma (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jesus acknowledged their sentiment toward the subject, but did not validate it. Instead he offers the parables of the lost sheep and of the lost coin. He asks if any of them who had 100 sheep would not leave the 99 in search of one that was lost. And he spoke of the joy the woman would have over finding the lost coin.  He tells them that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting than for 99 righteous people who “need no repentance.”

It was no accident that everywhere Jesus went, He attracted such people because that was what He intended to do. In Matthew 18:14, Jesus made it clear, speaking of children , that “it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” But he said it in the context of the parable of the lost sheep in that passage. In the last chapter, Jesus told the parable of the man who gave the great banquet, and eventually sent his servant out “into the streets and the lanes,” bringing those that others have excluded to the banquet (Luke 14:21).

Jesus was doing just that. The tax collectors and the sinners that the Pharisees disdained here are the people who have been excluded in their own way. God wanted Jesus to find and save those people, and bring them to the feast. We do well to remember that Jesus said many times that he had “not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). These are people that we too are supposed to love enough to want to help them to be saved.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Apr 9 2014

The Great Banquet – (Luke 14)

Verses 12-24 contain the “Parable of the Great Banquet.” Jesus begins addressing the man who invited him. He tells him that whenever he gives a dinner or a banquet, he should not invite his friends, family, or rich neighbors, but instead he should invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. The former group of people will be likely to return his graciousness by inviting him to a feast of their own, whereas the latter will be unable to do so.

feasting_200314But He tells the man that he will blessed because he will be repaid at the “resurrection of the just.” Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:8), so the point was well taken.  The more often we read God’s word, the clearer it becomes how important it is to God that we treat very well those who are poor or physically disadvantaged. God makes the point over and over again through the prophets in the Old Testament; and Jesus does so time and again by His words and His actions.  Generosity and kindness to others in those situations truly matters.

But Jesus is not finished with the lesson. When one of those at table commented “blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God,” Jesus began the parable. A man planned a “great banquet,” and had invited a great many people. When the time came for it to be held, he sent his servant around to remind everyone that the time had arrived. But he received one excuse after another from people who were too busy with the affairs of this life to attend. So the man became angry, and instead he filled his house with the poor, the crippled, the blind, and finally with anyone his servant met that would come. And the man declared that none of those who had originally been invited would be allowed to attend, should they change their mind.

It is not hard to figure out the meaning of the parable. The man giving the banquet represents God and the banquet represents the kingdom. Those invited first were God’s chosen people, and their excuses were the rejection of the Christ. And of course, the last group brought in represents the Gentiles – all who will come.

Did any of those who were “reclining at table” really understand this? Perhaps some did. It took Peter and the other apostles a while to truly get it (Acts 10, Acts 15:6-11), but God made sure that they did.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Apr 7 2014

Against Man’s Will – (Luke 14)

It was on the Sabbath, and Jesus had gone to the house of a ruler of the Pharisees to dine. Verse 2 says that there was a man there who had “dropsy.”  The condition that he had was probably edema, which can be caused from congestive heart failure, kidney, or liver failure. If it was pulmonary edema, it could have been severe enough for breathing to be an issue. At any rate, it seems the condition was obvious by his appearance and manner.

 

Deutsch: Christus im Hause des Pharisäers, Jac...

Deutsch: Christus im Hause des Pharisäers, Jacopo Tintoretto, Escorial (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

The last part of verse one says that the Pharisees were watching Jesus carefully even before the man was mentioned. This suggests that although the presence of other people at these dinners was not unusual, this man may have been brought there by the Pharisees in order to trap Jesus. Verse 3 appears to bear that out as well for it says that Jesus “responded” to the lawyers and Pharisees.  He asked them if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not. They remained silent at this question. That itself is noteworthy, because they certainly had plenty to say on the subject on other occasions.

 

Jesus healed the man, of course, and sent him on his way. When Jesus asked which of them would not pull their son or their ox out of a well on the Sabbath if they fell in, they had no answer. Of course, none of them would leave either until the next day. Someone they valued, or a valuable possession would be important enough to them to go against their “law.” But everyone is important to God, and He would not want the suffering of anyone to continue needlessly because of such a law. This itself was further proof that these rabbinical laws were not God’s will.

 

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

 

/Bob’s boy

 

___________________

 

some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

 

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

 

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Mar 27 2014

Fire On the Earth – Not Peace! – (Luke 12)

English: Northwest Crown Fire Experiment, Nort...

English: Northwest Crown Fire Experiment, Northwest Territories, Canada Français : Feu de forêt expérimental (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Verse 49 is just not easy to understand. It’s true. Incredibly, today yours truly read six largely different viewpoints from six commentators on that verse! The verse reads (in the ESV) “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!” And it is one of those that could possibly have a double meaning. But I don’t think so. I believe that what Jesus meant here is that the fire He came to start was the message of salvation, preaching Jesus Christ crucified, and that this fire (also lit aflame in the hearts of men and women) would spread throughout the world. And He wishes that it would begin already.

Now admittedly, He had not yet been crucified when He spoke those words. But notice in the next verse he said “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!” Of course, there is not total agreement on what this verse means. But for the most part, scholars interpret this as referring to his death, burial, and resurrection. The phrase “how great is my distress until it is accomplished” likely means two things – He wants to have it over with, and He certainly dreads it (He will prove that to be true soon in the garden at Gethsemane).

Newborn Portrait Session

Newborn Portrait Session (Photo credit: kristaguenin)

Beginning in verse 51, Jesus then talks about the differences that many families would have with the gospel. He said “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division…father against son and son against father, mother against daughter…” Today, perhaps more than ever in recent history, we see that very thing happening in families all over. Families are not converted or saved together, for the most part. Salvation comes to individuals, and often there is division among the family members concerning the Lord. Sometimes, those divisions even becomes bitterness toward each other.

In verses 54-56, Jesus speaks especially to that present generation. They have learned to predict the weather, but they cannot see the truth standing right in front of them – that the Messiah they have longed for has come. Verses 57-59 are good advice for anyone in a legal matter. Try to settle it with your adversary before (and even instead of) letting it go to court. But it is better advice for those who want to be saved. Seek forgiveness, as God has made it supremely possible, rather than facing God on the day of judgment.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Mar 24 2014

Forgiveness Freely Given – (Luke 12)

As Luke 12 opens, Jesus has just left the dinner with the Pharisees at the end of chapter 11, and he tells His disciples to beware the leaven of the Pharisees. This refers not only to their hypocrisy, but to their teachings and influence as well. But He is warning them (and us) against hypocrisy and the damage it can do to their reputations and the church He is building in verses 2-3 when He says:

“Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.”

Jesus then tells them not to fear those that kill the body. This is a very real and relevant admonition, and He knows that His apostles will all find themselves in positions for that sort of fear to be a real threat. But the One He says they should fear is God, who can cast into hell. He emphasizes God’s omnipotence by pointing out how cheap five sparrows can be bought – yet not one of them is forgotten by God, who even numbers the hairs on your head.

The Holy Spirit depicted as a dove, surrounded...

The Holy Spirit depicted as a dove, surrounded by angels, by Giaquinto, 1750s. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In verses 8-12, Jesus is preparing His disciples for “the good, the bad, and the ugly” of what they will encounter in spreading the gospel. Those that acknowledge Him before men will be acknowledged by Jesus before God. Those who deny Him, will be denied before God. Anyone who speaks a word against Him will be forgiven. But he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven (found also in Matthew 12:31-32).

It is important to understand what is being said here. Many people have believed that because they have said something irreverent about the Holy Spirit, they can never be forgiven, and are thus condemned. The very fact that they fear that to be true proves that it is false! This is best explained by a couple of quotes from Burton Coffman and Anthony Lee Ash. Coffman said:

“The three dispensations of God’s grace are in view here. Blaspheming
God in the patriarchal period, or Christ as the culmination of the
Mosaic period, or the Holy Spirit in the age of the gospel were in the
ascending order of seriousness. “The Holy Spirit with his teachings is
the last that God has to offer man; and, if one blasphemes the Holy
Spirit by rejecting the New Testament, there is no chance for
forgiveness.”

Perhaps better stated by Ash, who said:

“One could reject Jesus during his personal ministry and still accept him by accepting Spirit-inspired preaching. But reject the latter and there would be no further overture from God”

It is the rejection of the Holy Spirit that makes forgiveness impossible, for without accepting this gift, there is no way for the heart to be opened to God’s word and the truth. The fact is that forgiveness is freely given to all those who desire to do the will of God.

Verses 11-12 were for his disciples. Notice that He says “When…” not “If…” “they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Jesus knew this was going to happen to them. He did everything He could to prepare them for every eventuality because He knew what they would face.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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Mar 20 2014

Building Tombs – (Luke 11)

In verse 29, Jesus tells the increasing crowd that ” this generation is an evil generation,” which seeks a sign. It is an evil generation because they have the Son of God in their midst, and they will, by and large, reject Him. He compares them to Nineveh, who repented because of Jonah’s preaching, and the Queen of Sheba who came from so far away to witness Solomon’s wisdom. They have one greater than both of those, yet they will not accept Him.

English: A dispute with the pharisees. Passeri...

English: A dispute with the pharisees. Passeri. In the Bowyer Bible in Bolton Museum, England. Print 4384. From “An Illustrated Commentary on the Gospel of Mark” by Phillip Medhurst. Section D. Jesus confronts uncleanness. Mark 1:21-45, 2:1-12, 5:1-20, 25-34, 7:24-30. http://pdfcast.org/pdf/an-illustrated-commentary-by-phillip-medhurst-on-the-gospel-of-mark-section-d (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The only sign they will get is the sign of Jonah, He says. Jonah was in the belly of the “great fish” for 3 days, just as He will be in the tomb. But even this greater sign will not be enough for so many of them. It is in this context that Jesus tells them that the eye is the lamp of the body. Those who see the truth for what it is will have this light affecting their entire lives. Those who choose not to see the truth will have the darkness.

While Jesus was speaking to them, yet another Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. He was amazed that Jesus did not wash first. This was not a matter of hygiene to the Pharisees, but a ritual that they had dictated – and so it also was a rejection of the Pharisees’ authority. Jesus then chides them for cleaning the outside of their cups and dishes, yet inside themselves they are corrupt.

Jesus pronounces three “woes” on the Pharisees then. He says they tithe even the herbs they cook with, but they neglect justice and the love of God. It is their love of having the best seat in the synagogue, and their love for the honors bestowed on them by men that He condemns in the second woe. Then he says they are like unmarked graves that people walk over without knowing. Contact with a grave would make one ceremonially unclean. Yet people follow the teachings of these hypocrites, thinking that they are pleasing God, when they are actually being tainted by them.

The lawyers that He next pronounces woes upon are the Scribes. They are responsible for keeping the law (as the Pharisees see it), and for teaching it. Yet they push rabbinical laws that God does not command upon the people, while not holding themselves to the same standards. The statement that they build the tombs of the prophets that their fathers killed is not hard to understand, once we look at the next sentence. It says that they are witnesses, and they consent to the deeds of their fathers. They are witnesses to the very Messiah that the prophets died proclaiming, and by their rejection of Jesus, they “build the tombs” of those prophets that their fathers killed. The last woe refers to them taking away “the key of knowledge.” This refers to the knowledge of the Messiah. And though they do not enter the kingdom of God, they hinder others from entering in.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  

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