Jeffrey A. Oschwald As if the themes of this Gospel weren’t challenge enough, two significant exegetical/translational questions must also be addressed. Luke 12:49b is “a passage of well-known difficulty, the translation of which remains doubtful.”1 Just presents the case for the translation “How I wish that it were already kindled,” but the parallels are not ..
Mark Rockenbach It is always important to consider the context of the assigned readings. Therefore, look at Luke 12:16–21. Jesus tells a story about a rich man who has an abundance of earthly goods. He has so many earthly goods that he is considering a plan to tear down his current barns in order to ..
David I. Lewis Literary Context In the verses proceeding today’s text Jesus confronts the religious authorities about their hypocrisy (11:37–54) and then warns his disciples to be faithful in the midst of persecution (12:1–12), persecution that would come in part from those very religious authorities. Today’s pericope then follows. Here Jesus turns from the disciples ..
By Todd Jones It might seem like an odd thing to do, but notice how our first reading in Luke 11 takes on a slightly different tone when it is considered in light of the last of our Lord’s words in chapter 10, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one ..
By Paul R. Raabe The Gospel lesson appointed for the ninth Sunday after Pentecost is the Mary and Martha account. It illustrates the priority of the word over food. The psalm for that day prays, “Teach me your way, O Yahweh” (Ps 27:11). That prayer expresses the desire of Mary. When tempted, Jesus himself said, ..
By David Peter Provided here is a sermon digest based on the parable of the Good Samaritan. The reader is free to appropriate into a sermon that which is beneficial. Focus: As those restored by Jesus, we love others by serving their needs despite the messiness and busyness of life. Introduction: Anyone who seeks to ..
By Timothy E. Saleska Sermon Notes Luke 10:1–20 does not develop an argument but instead lays out a series of sayings that are disparate in structure and content: a metaphor (v. 2); a comparison (v. 3); instructions (v. 4); regulations and brief developments of themes (vv. 5–13); lamentation (vv. 14–15); a wisdom saying (v. 16); a ..
Joel P. Okamoto Notes on the Text 9:51: This passage is the beginning of what is often called the travel narrative in the Gospel according to Luke. The passage marks a turning point in Luke’s account of Jesus Christ. At his transfiguration Jesus had spoken of his departure (9:31). Now, according to Luke, Jesus knows ..
By Jeff Kloha “Why Do You Not Leave Me Alone?” Narrative Focus This pericope falls within a series of four of Jesus’s miracles (8:22–56): calming a storm, casting out demons, healing a woman, and raising a girl from the dead. These together show Jesus’s power and reign over every sphere of danger and calamity: nature, ..
By Anthony Cook “If this man were a prophet, he would have known.” Simon’s statement implies that if Jesus were a true prophet he would know about the sinful lifestyle of the woman who was anointing him and refuse her expression of love. Simon was not only assuming how a prophet would respond, but also ..
By James Voelz Introduction and Overview This well-known pericope is “typical” of Luke’s Gospel in several important ways. Chief is the portrayal of Jesus as a prophetic figure (in something of a contrast to Matthew, where he is more obviously a Yahweh and Moses figure). This theme is initiated and made programmatic for the third Gospel ..
Joel Biermann At first blush, the central theme of this pericope seems to be faith and its remarkable residence in a Gentile centurion. That motif fits well with the preceding context. The centurion distinguishes himself not only as a capable builder of synagogues, but he is also a competent builder of houses, clearly founding his ..
By Charles Arand “I Am” Your Creator and Redeemer This is one of the better-known passages in John and is a favorite passage for many when it comes to finding texts that speak to the deity of Jesus. And yet it is perhaps one of the more enigmatic passages as well. After all, what kind ..
By Andrew Bartelt We find ourselves at the third great festival day (LSB 489), having celebrated the resurrection and the ascension of our Lord. Our text takes us to the night he was betrayed, as Jesus anticipates what we now remember as having happened. He is preparing his disciples—and us—for resurrection life after his resurrection ..
By Rick Marrs Background Our text is the end of Jesus’s High Priestly Prayer. Parts of the rest of this prayer, 17:1– 19, are texts for the same Sunday in different years (John 17:1-11 in Series A and John 17:11b-19 in Series B), so the preacher may want to familiarize the hearers with the salient parts ..
By Ben Haupt At the beginning of his Gospel, the Apostle John inscribes one of his main themes: “From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn 1:16–17). This pericope introduces the reader to the large confrontation between Jesus and ..
