The Last Supper

Sunday, February 26, 2012

 Week 20

Bible Text: Matthew 26:20-29, Mark 14:12-16, Luke 22:14-38

Key Verse: Luke 22:19-20, 27

Matthew 26:23 dipped his hand into the bowl with me: it was a custom, still practiced today by some in the Middle East, to take a piece of bread, or a piece of meat wrapped in bread, and dip it into a bowl of sauce (made of stewed fruit) on the table. In that culture, and among some still today, to eat with a person is to say "I am your friend and I will not hurt you".

Matthew 26:28 forgiveness of sins: in this version of the "the last supper", Matthew alone includes the words, "for the forgiveness of sins".

Mark 14:12-16 first day of Unleavened Bread: this would be a Thursday, and the Passover meal would be eaten that evening.

Mark 14:13 man carrying a jar: this man would have been easily identified because it was customary for only women to carry the water jars.

Luke 22:19-20 new covenant: God had made a covenant or agreement with Moses (Exodus 24:1-8). This new covenant is made through Jesus' body and blood. The covenant promised through the prophet Jeremiah (31:31-34) is the fuller administration of God's saving grace, founded on and sealed by the death of Jesus.

Luke 22:20 after supper: mentioned only here and in I Corinthians 11:25.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday:       Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday:       Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions

Parable of the Vineyard (The Parable of the Wicked Tenants)

Week 19 

Bible Text: Matthew 21: 33-46, Mark 12:1-12, Luke 20:9-19 (Isaiah 5:1-7)

Key Verse: Luke 20:14-16

Matthew 21:33-46 a landowner who planted a vineyard: in this parable the vineyard refers to Israel. Jesus' parable is directed against the leaders, not against the people. The suffering of the martyrs throughout history reaches its climax in the death of the Son. The parable anticipates Jesus' death and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans in 70 c.e.

Mark 12:1-9 the tenants: the practice of tenants farming land for an owner was common at the time. This parable is an allegory, or symbolic story. The vineyard represents Israel, the tenants are the Jewish leaders, the slaves are the prophets who spoke God's messages, and the beloved son is Jesus.

Mark 12:10-11 cornerstone: Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22-23, a passage the early church used to talk about Christ as the cornerstone.

Luke 20:10 he sent a servant: this parable is reminiscent of Isaiah 5:1-7. The servants who were sent to the tenants represent the prophets God sent in former time who were rejected.

Isaiah 5:1-7 a vineyard: the prophet uses the form of a love song to create a parable that makes the hearers accuse themselves for their own failings. The song was no doubt actually sung, inviting the listeners to appreciate first the loving care of the owner for this vineyard and then his disappointment when it yields grapes that are bitter and sour, unusable. The remedy is clear, to destroy the old to make room for the new. Finally, they are condemned as they hear that they themselves are the unproductive vineyard.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday:       Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday:       Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions

The Sheep & The Goats

Week 18 

The Sheep & The Goats

Bible Text: Matthew 25:31-46

Key Verse: Matthew 25:40

Matthew 25:31 the Son of Man: the coming of the Son of Man here includes a final judgment. Two widely accepted interpretations of this judgment are: 1) it will occur at the beginning of an earthly millennial kingdom (v 31, 34). The criterion for judgment will be the kind of treatment shown to the Jewish people.

2) The judgment referred to occurs at the great white throne at the end of the age (Rev 20:11-15). Its purpose will be to determine who will be allowed to enter the eternal kingdom of the saved and who will be consigned to eternal punishment in hell.

Matthew 25:34-40 inherit the kingdom: rewards in the kingdom of heaven are given to those who serve without thought of reward. There is no hint of merit here, for God gives out of grace, not debt.

At the same time, those who believe in Jesus need to guard against the temptation to use the need of others to achieve salvation rather than seeing it as a gift of Jesus' presence.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday:       Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday:       Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions

Zacchaeus

Sunday, February 5, 2012

The Parables of the Lost & Found

Week 17 

Bible Text: Luke 19:1-11

Key Verse: Luke 19:9

Luke 19:2 Zacchaeus: the names means "pure, clean, innocent".

Luke 19:8 pay back four times as much: this goes beyond what would have been required of Zacchaeus, and if he is corrupt, the amount to be repaid could be staggeringly high. In Greek the verb tense is not future but present, "I [already] give/repay. This might imply that is not corrupt and is acting justly.  

 

Luke 19:9 he too is a son of Abraham: when Jesus healed the women bent double, he noted that she was a daughter of Abraham (13:16). Now Jesus carefully notes that Zacchaeus is a son of Abraham. the writer of the Gospel makes it clear that it is important to be Jewish. 

 

Luke 19:10 Son of Man: a key verse in Luke's Gospel, "Son of Man", a messianic title used only by Jesus in the four Gospels, by Stephen in Acts 7:56 and in John's vision in Revelation 1:13. It is an important summary of Jesus' purpose; to bring salvation, meaning eternal life and the kingdom of God.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday: Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:

Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.

Tuesday: Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:

Focus on the text, itself.

Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:

Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.

Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:

Reflect on the historical situation.

Friday: Catch up on missed reading time

Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest

For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.

Daily Reflection Questions