CATHOLIC SCRIPTURE STUDY Catholic Scripture Study Notes written by Sister Marie Therese, are provided for the personal use of students during their active participa- tion and must not be loaned or given to others. SERIES I THE GOSPEL OF LUKE AND ACTS OF THE APOSTLES Lesson 12 Commentary Luke 9:51 - 10 Lesson 13 Questions Luke 11 and 12 JESUS JOURNEYS TO JERUSALEM Luke 9:51 - 10 I. INTRODUCTION We need to ask ourselves: Is our religion nar- rowed down to those who “keep the rules,” to a This journey narrative is special to Luke. triumphalism that looks down on those not in our From 9:51 to 19:28, Luke gives sayings and fold? Do we joyfully spread the faith, or just keep events from another source in addition to Mark, it? whom he has been following. He gives this sec- tion a theological meaning rather than a straight Or, do we value the humble, prayerful life geographical account, by linking every word and more than any other? Do we realize that persecu- deed with the last journey of Jesus to Jerusalem, tion and the Cross save the world, not worldly telescoping more than one journey from Galilee success, nor a life of health and happiness for into Judea, omitting others, but pointing all em- their sake, but, that when our grain of wheat dies, phatically to Jerusalem, the Holy City. The main then it brings forth an abundant harvest of good- point of all this is that it was the Will of God that ness and glory? Jesus suffer, die, and rise again in the Holy City. Jerusalem had a deeply religious meaning for SOME PRINCIPAL THEMES IN THESE Luke, which he probably learned from Paul, his CHAPTERS leader. Two views of Jerusalem are given: 1. Sacrifices required for discipleship (Luke 1. The city of the Rabbis, priests and the 9:57-62). Pharisees: a culture of national, narrow in- 2. God’s action in history—directing the terests. simple ones (Luke 10:21). 3. Reliance on persevering prayer (Luke 2. The new Jerusalem of Jesus and the 11:1-13). Church: a worldwide assembly of Jesus’ 4. The supreme value of man’s response to followers, humble, prayerful people from God’s word (Luke 10:38-42). every nation, who find salvation in the 5. The seriousness of refusing to repent cross and in the glory of Jesus. (Luke 11.29-13; 11:27ff). ©Copyright, 1986-1987 Catholic Scripture Study, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Series I Lesson 12 Page 2 6. The sinfulness of hypocrisy (Luke 11:37 - not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” and 12:3). He took the quiet step of going to another village. B. Total Dedication (Luke 9:57-62). Here Luke presents Jesus with a goal set clearly be- follow three vocation stories: fore His eyes: to go up to Jerusalem to suffer and die for others’ salvation. Following Jesus’ exam- 1. Jesus describes His own poor life, while at ple and teaching will lead to suffering; but this the same time using the “Son of Man” ti- suffering will lead to full consecration and glori- tle, (a “man” coming from the glory of ous triumph! (“No cross, no crown.”) heaven), implying that He wants followers who will follow Him in detachment and II. GOING THROUGH SAMARIA destined for glory. A. Preparation (Luke 9:51). Luke begins 2. He tells another would-be follower who this major section with solemn words recalling the asked that he first bury his father (perhaps prophet Elijah before he was taken up into heaven meaning that he would follow Jesus after in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:9-11). The expression his father died) that the spiritually dead “taken up” surrounds the journey to the cross with could bury the physically dead, but that the light of glory. Luke uses the same words in following him should not be put off. telling of Jesus going up to heaven in the Ascen- sion. He is clearly saying that the cross is the 3. Then he told another that anyone looking road to glory. back was not worthy of Him. Next, we hear the sorrowful theme of the Suf- Do we fit any of these types? What do we fering Servant, from Isaiah 50:7. “I have set my learn for ourselves from these words? face like flint” says the Servant in Isaiah. “Jesus steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,” writes Luke. III. JESUS SENDS DISCIPLES ON MISSION (Luke 10:1-24) Jesus sent messengers before Him “to make ready for him.” It is interesting that this phase of A. Instructions (Luke 10:1-16). Only spreading the good news is in the Church’s fore- Luke mentions “seventy-two others” whom Jesus front today, with the title “pre-evangelization.” sent out. In Acts 1:15 and 21, he mentions “a This may have been, however, to arrange for Him hundred and twenty brothers gathered together: to stay somewhere. The age-old enmity of the those who were of our company while the Lord Jews of traditional Hebrew religion and these Jesus moved among us.” Luke must have found part-Jews through inter-marriage with pagans im- some of these and learned this in his “thorough ported there after the Babylonian invasion, came following up all things that have occurred.” forward here, and they rejected Jesus’ coming (Luke 9:53) because “his face was set for Jerusa- Luke shows Jesus ratifying the authority of lem.” those who lead His future Church. One differ- ence is that He sent these out two by two, but the John and James, whom Jesus called the “Sons Apostles in Matthew’s account, have the fullness, of Thunder” asked if they could call down fire each in his own right. from heaven, much as Elijah had, but Jesus taught them and us non-resistance to rejection and ill- In these instructions Jesus lays down for the treatment, remarking that “the son of Man came Church the conditions for a journey to the cross Series I Lesson 12 Page 3 and glory: the utter dependence on God and on IV. PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN those whom they serve; their announcement of the (Luke 10:25-37) closeness of the Kingdom, the reign of God over mankind, displacing the reign of Satan and his A. The Lawyer Not Far from the Reign power; the peace and blessing they are to bring to of God. Mark tells the story of a “scribe” who homes; their rejection by some, acceptance by came up and questioned Jesus about the “first of others, even in the same family, and the resulting all the commandments.” Luke tells the same story, division over Jesus and His call; the fate of cities adapting it to his Gentile community by changing who saw and heard Him and His deeds; and the scribe to “lawyer.” Jesus asks the lawyer what the declaration of His identity with those who an- law says. The answer contains the “Shema”, the nounce Him; all prefigure the history of Chris- Deuteronomy text recited everyday by Jews: tians. “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole B. Results (Luke 10; 17-23). The word joy strength, and your whole mind” (Deuteronomy comes here several times: the disciples’ joy at see- 6:5). Luke has the lawyer add to it a verse from ing the amazing power their word had, through Leviticus: “You shall love your neighbor as your- Jesus’ name; Jesus’ joy at seeing the fall of Satan self.” It is thought that Luke adds to Marks’ story at His transfer of power to His disciples whom He in order to tell the parable of who our neighbor is. sends, as Matthew says, like lambs, like doves, into a violent world; and Jesus’ own joy as He At any rate, these words from the Old Testa- breaks out in vocal praise of His Father’s reveal- ment, placed in the New Testament, and praised ing such tremendous truths to the simple of the by Jesus, show Judaism at its best, and make us earth, the humble and obedient to His word; and pause to examine how we love God. Is it with our His own joyful mission of revealing the Father to “whole” self? The first three of the Ten Com- mankind. And He, in the midst of all the joy, re- mandments relate to our relationship with God. members to caution the disciples, and us, that our This is first in our priorities. How many Chris- joy should be not so much in what we accomplish tians do not put God first in their lives! Do we? for Him, in our works, but that we are God’s cho- sen ones that “our names are written in heaven.” B. “Who is My Neighbor”? (Luke 10:25- 37). A Jew from Jerusalem, the capital of the na- Luke gives Jesus’ words about the harvest His tion, the religious center of all the Jewish race, a disciples will have, and His sad comment about privileged resident, went to Jericho, one of the the fewness of the laborers. His solution is one oldest cities in the world, and 800 feet below sea word: “Pray” (Luke 10:2). It is the Lord of the level (Jerusalem is 2500 feet above). There is a harvest who “sends forth laborers” and this saying certain area of the road which goes through cliffs of Jesus indicates that God depends on our pray- and caves.