Dr. Luke in the 5th chapter

We now look into the fifth chapter of Dr. Luke's gospel. A few questions to ask are these:

1. Right after taking in a huge catch of fish, Peter asks Jesus to depart from him. Why would he say something like that?
2. Can you think of anyone else who has behaved as Peter did?
3. Jesus famously counseled the "rich young man" about seeking perfection, "If you would be perfect...". So how could the notorious IRS man Levi dare to follow Jesus?
4. What was wrong about the Pharisees and scribes complaining about Levi and the other notorious sinners at Levi's big dinner?
5. What did Jesus pray about?

There is a lot to think about in this first part of Luke 5. Let us look into it.

More in Ch. 4

Here are some additional questions for finishing chapter 4 of Dr. Luke's gospel:

1. When Jesus brings up the widow in Sidon and Naaman the Syrian general, is it a way of rejecting the Jews from His salvation?
2. Does the set of three sentences and one exclamation from the demon, v. 34, make sense? What does that set of words signify?
3. What miraculous act did Jesus do in Capernaum other than expelling demons and curing sicknesses?
4. The folks in Nazareth, the home town of Jesus, did not expect that they would experience a miracle. But did they experience something miraculous?
5. Is Nazareth in Judea?
6. The prophet Isaiah testifies about Jesus in one way, and the demons in another way. What is the difference between these to messages?

There are a lot of reactions to Jesus in this section vv. 16-44. We can place ourselves there, in thought, and thereby gauge our own faith and the readiness of our own soul for this message.

New questions, chapter 4

After finishing up chapter 3 concepts this morning, we will begin to look into chapter 4. Here are a few questions to work with:

1. The Greek word used by Dr. Luke for being tempted has a strong meaning, to make a proof of Jesus, to make a trial of Jesus. What do we do in normal 21st century life to make a trial of something or someone?
2. Why would sending Jesus to a proving ground be helpful to God the Father's plan?
3. What is our proving ground?
4. If the demons knew that Jesus was the Son of God, v. 41, then why did the enemy try to prove it?
5. Why did the enemy apply his trial at the end of the forty day fast?
6. You look over a Corvette. Its color is red. Does checking its color prove a Corvette is fast?
7. A prosecutor interrogates a witness to a crime, up on the witness stand. He asks the witness if he likes the Minnesota Vikings. How would the defense attorney react to this kind of questioning?

We will go over more questions, and see if they can apply to our own lives and our parish.

Jan. 10, more concepts in Ch. 3 of Dr. Luke's gospel

We have several questions remaining from last week that we did not get to.

1. What do you remember of the prophet Isaiah? What was his most piercing message, in your opinion? (Everyone can have his own answer, here.) Done.
2. What is the significance of Dr. Luke quoting Isaiah's central prophecy, from chapters 40-55? Done.
3. Which sacrament helps us to avoid becoming a viper like the brood of vipers whom John the Baptist admonishes?
4. What do you make of John's admonition, "Do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father," in v. 8? Is it a somber warning or a surprising offer?
5. In vv. 10-14, there are specific challenges issued to
   1. repentant multitudes, i.e., people in general,
   2. repentant tax collectors, i.e., the IRS of the day, and
   3. repentant soldiers, i.e., the Red Army occupiers of the day.
   Which of the commandments had they broken?
6. In the Greek, Luke writes of "fruits that are worthy of repentance." If you offer a gift that is nor worthy of X, then what are you saying about X? More importantly, what does it say about your relationship to X?
7. Has God ever been known to raise up living beings from geological objects?
   
8. Name another place in Dr. Luke's writings where the multitudes ask, "What then shall we do?"
9. Does a farmer's threshing floor yield fruit?
10. In the short paragraph about the actual baptism of Jesus, why is there no mention of John?
11. Is the Trinity made apparent in the baptism of Jesus?

We continue to dig into the Scriptures and in them we gaze upon the Messiah.

Notes for today

It is interesting to note that, in Chapter 3, Dr. Luke describes John's evangelism with the word παρακαλων, from the same root as our word Paraclete, for the Holy Spirit. For this reason, it behooves us to look very carefully at John's message. That being the case, here are some reading questions for today's study:

1. What do you remember of the prophet Isaiah? What was his most piercing message, in your opinion? (Everyone can have his own answer, here.)
2. What is the significance of Dr. Luke quoting Isaiah's central prophecy, from chapters 40-55?
3. Which sacrament helps us to avoid becoming a viper like the brrod of vipers whom John the Baptist admonishes?
4. What do you make of John's admonition, "Do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father," in v. 8? Is it a somber warning or a surprising offer?
5. In vv. 10-14, there are specific challenges issued to
   1. repentant multitudes, i.e., people in general,
   2. repentant tax collectors, i.e., the IRS of the day, and
   3. repentant soldiers, i.e., the Red Army occupiers of the day.
   Which of the commandments had they broken?
6. In the Greek, Luke writes of "fruits that are worthy of repentance." If you offer a gift that is nor worthy of X, then what are you saying about X? More importantly, what does it say about your relationship to X?
7. Has God ever been known to raise up living beings from geological objects?
8. Name another place in Dr. Luke's writings where the multitudes ask, "What then shall we do?"
9. Does a farmer's threshing floor yield fruit?
10. In the short paragraph about the actual baptism of Jesus, why is there no mention of John?
11. Is the Trinity made apparent in the baptism of Jesus?

This Sunday is the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. So let's prepare for that today by diving into Dr. Luke's gospel.