Category Archives: Faith

2 Samuel, Faith, Kingdom of God, Sovereignty of God

2 Samuel 2-3:5

A New King

Discussion Question

Is it possible to talk about right and wrong in this world anymore? In our democratic society, is the majority always right?

Background (Context)

The first 5 books of the bible (AKA the Pentateuch) cover the origins of life and the origins of the nation of Israel – a priviledged nation because God Almighty chose them to be his people, in a promised land, with directions (commands) to obey and live in rest and peace. The book of Joshua described a great time of the nation entering the promised land and driving out all foreign nations lest they tempt them to stray from God’s plans. Then, in Judges, we read of a nation declining as they returned again and again to sin, rejected God as their king. While the nation should have strived by loving the Lord with all their heart and neighbour as themselves, the problem of sin continues to blossom in the bible narratives.

Then we get to the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. Israel demands of Samuel that they have a king just like the other nations. By the word of the LORD Samuel consents to the people’s wicked request. While having a king was not a sin, the real error is that they were rejecting God once again. The first king of Israel, God’s anointed one, was Saul with his son Jonathan as the prince of Israel. The book of 1 Samuel describes how this came to be and how king Saul disobeyed God and so God found another man, a man after His own heart, to be the next king. David, the son of Jesse, the great grandson of Ruth and Obed, was anointed by Samuel as the king of Israel. David was pursued by the jealous king Saul but befriended by Saul’s son, Jonothan.

Finally, in the first chapter of 2 Samuel, David receives word from a foreigner that king Saul has been killed. The messenger reports that he killed a dying Saul. Rather than rejoicing, David demands the life of this man for killing the LORD’s anointed. The fact that Saul gave David a really hard time in his life does not change the fact that Saul was anointed by God to be king. David demonstrates his love for God and His kingdom more than the kingdom of David. The lament that he teaches all the people to recite shadows the lament of those who would look on the ultimate King of the Jews slain. Good Friday is a day to reflect on our sins as we humans slay The Anointed One.

Read 2 Samuel 2-3:5

In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked.

The Lord said, “Go up.”
David asked, “Where shall I go?”
“To Hebron,” the Lord answered.

2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah.

When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, 5 he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6 May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7 Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.”

8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9 He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.

10 Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David. 11 The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.

12 Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. 13 Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.

14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.”

“All right, let them do it,” Joab said.

15 So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.

17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle. 19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?”

“It is,” he answered.

21 Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

22 Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”

23 But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon. 25 Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.

26 Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”

27 Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”

28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.

29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours and came to Mahanaim.

30 Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing. 31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. 32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.

3 The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

2 Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; 3 his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4 the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream the son of David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

What did you see? (Observation)

Structure

Beginning: David’s move to be king over Israel (1-7)

Problem: Abner makes Ish-Bosheth son of Saul king over most of Israel (8-11)

Quest: Abner (Israel/Ish-Bosheth) vs Joab (Judah/David) (12-25)

  • 12 against 12 – all die (12-16)
  • The battle that followed was fierce – David’s men win (17)
  • Asahel of David’s house pursues Abner – Asahel dies (18-25)

Resolution: Abner calls a truce (26-32)

End: David’s kingdom grows (3:1-5)

The structure of a narrative can be broken down into the 5 basic elements of any story: Beginning, Problem, Quest, Resolution, End. See this post from the book of Jonah to see how this works. We’ll step through the five stages of this narrative to discover what we are supposed to notice.

Beginning: David’s move to be king over Israel (1-7)

“…David inquired of the LORD…” The story begins with David having waited a respectable time since the death of Saul. He is not eager or ambishish to take the kingdom of Israel before it is time. After a time, he asks of Yahweh if he should go up to the region of Judah. David appears as the good guy in this story, acting nobly as a propper king of Israel. This inquiry is not a small mention at the beginning of this story. Just as God went before Moses and Joshua and the judges of Israel, David is shown to be a man of God. Notice the slow pace of Verse 1 and then the deliberate and complete obedience of Verse 2 as David goes all in.

“…the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah.” I have placed a table below on all of the people and place names for a quick reference. The LORD sent David to Hebron. He is welcomed there and enthroned as king over Judah – one of the 12 regions of Israel. Judah is the region David came from (in Bethlehem) and it is prophesied as the kingly line of Israel (Genesis 49:8-10). David is to be God’s anointed king of Israel.

“…I too will show you the same favour…” David approaches Jabesh Gilead, a region of Saul followers, and proposes a peace. We are not told what the people of Jabesh Gilead say in reply – presumably it is a positive one – but the absence of an answer leads us to ask the question of this passage: will everyone submit to king David as God has ordained it?

Problem: Abner makes Ish-Bosheth son of Saul king over most of Israel (8-11)

“Meanwhile, Abner…made [Ish-Bosheth son of Saul] king over … all Israel.” So, there’s the problem. While David and Judah and the LORD are on the same page, the rest of Israel are not. From this point on, the story is driven by the men of Ish-Bosheth and the men of David and not by David or Ish-Bosheth (IB) themselves. This is a question of who the people will follow. IB is silent in this whole process and the rebellion is driven by Abner, the son of Ner who was Saul’s uncle (1 Samuel 14:50). Benjamin was Saul’s native people.

“The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David.” The problem is laid out for us. It is another David v Goliath battle. David and his relatives in Judah against IB and his relative in Benjamin and the rest of Israel.

Quest: Abner (Israel/Ish-Bosheth) vs Joab (Judah/David) (12-25)

12 against 12 – all die (12-16)

“…men of IB…and…David’s men went out and met…at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.” There is a face-off sounding similar to the confrontations between Israel and the Philistine enemy. This, though, is civil war.

“Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” Abner asks this of Joab and his response is, “All right, let them do it.” Again, I’m reminded of the battle between Israel and the Philistines where Goliath came down to represent Philistine against a representative of Israel. The united Israel won that day as David stepped up to represent the people of God. This time we have the brothers of Israel facing each other.

“Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together.” Twelve men of IB faced up against twelve men of David. Though the country is divided, they all fall down this day together. Twenty four men died. Do we make much of the number 12? We ought to pause and reflect that Israel contains 12 tribes who are later represented by the 12 disciples. We won’t go too crazy over numbers in the bible but 12 appears to be a complete number.

The battle that followed was fierce – David’s men win (17)

“The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.” After the twenty four men fell by the dagger, the rest of the men present that day fought each other. David’s men, against the rest of Israel, were victorious.

Asahel of David’s house pursues Abner – Asahel dies (18-25)

“Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.” What a cool verse! Abner survived the battle and we now learn of Asahel and his brothers. Asahel goes in hot pursuit of Abner.

“…turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him.” Asahel was determined and concentrated on the man, Abner. He might have stopped and slain people this way or that but he ran past them and fixed his eyes on Abner. This man, above all others, has instigated a rival to the anointed king of Israel.

“Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?” We are reminded that this is civil war. Much death has occured on this day but Abner does not want to kill the brother of Joab.

“Asahel…fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.” Asahel had been miles ahead of his comrades since he was ‘as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.’ When they had caught up to him they found him killed.

“But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner…” Two men continued the pursuit. They had not been as fast as Asahel but they were as determined to end this.

“Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.” We get ready for another round of fighting. Only Joab and Abishai are there to face up against the men of Benjamin. It could easily turn into a slaughter of the leaders of David’s men.

 

Resolution: Abner calls a truce (26-32)

“How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?” It’s odd to find Abner as the one to call a truce. But Abner, who is leading most of Israel (on a defeated day) sees that the men of David are driven. They will not stop until this is over. Abner has shown remorse in killing Asahel. He seems to not want to see any further bloodshed today. We are reminded again that this is a civil war.

“As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”  Joab agrees that David’s men would not have stopped. The issue in this story has taken a strange twist. It was initially about who the people in Israel would submit to. Now the issue has become about how far will the people of God go in destroying each other. Will the kingdom of David be overcome by bloodshed? Will his kingdom be defined by being the stronger army?

“So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt…” And as the sun was setting (Verse 24) the battle stops suddenly. The pursuit is over. The challenge is paused. Everyone is ready to go back to their homes.

“…marched through the Arabah….came to Mahanaim.” Abner and the men of IB travelled back home to where IB reigned. The Arabah is south of the Salt Sea which is the Dead Sea and which was known as the Arabah Sea.

“Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.” David’s men made their way back to David by the next day. The comment in Verse 32 about Asahel’s burial need not have been fulfilled that night.

End: David’s kingdom grows (3:1-5)

“The way between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time.” These 5 verses do not drive the story further at this point and so we come to the end of this account. David’s house grows increasingly stronger and Saul’s house grows increasingly weaker. David’s house is described during his reign in Hebron. Later in this book we will hear of how David came to live in Jerusalem.

What did we learn? (Meaning)

The narrative begins and ends with David, the anointed king of Israel. He is God’s king, walking in obedience to God and God blesses and establishes his kingdom. The enemy of David’s house, Abner, puts a false king on the throne and instigates a civil war among the people of God. He does not succeed but the people of God were struck with a death toll. While God is sovereign and his promised king is clear, the way of the kingdom contains battles and resistance. The King of the Kingdom has His enemies who will try to shake it.

Now what? (Application)

Topic A: The true King verses the world. The world we live in has the choice of submitting to the Anointed King Jesus or establishing a kingdom of their own. Even as the people of God, Christians are confronted every day with temptations to bow to other rulers: money, self-gain, popularity etc. King Jesus reigns in truth over a world that denies his rule.

Topic B: Turning neither to the right nor to the left. The episode of Asahel pursuing Abner with his gazelle-like legs leads us to consider our determination to run straight and true in the Kingdom of God. While this application appears allegorical at first (which is a reading method that comes with great caution) it appears amidst a greater story establishing David as king and yet people have looked elsewhere for an alternative. The enemies of the Kingdom of God are our enemy. We don’t consider people as the enemy, rather we consider the lies of the devil and of this world as the enemy. The New Testament teaches Christians to put to death the misdeeds of the body.

Topic C: An unfinished war. While the men of David won the battle that day, the war was not over. Jesus is the established king of the kingdom and his subjects continue to grow over time and across the world. We live in this time of an unfinished war. We don’t fight with swords or spears or daggers, but we speak the truth that Jesus is Lord of all. We won’t win this battle by strength or wit but by faith – simply knowing that the King we serve IS the King. Plain and simple.

Table of people and places

 

The House of David The House of Saul
The King David Ish-Bosheth son of Saul
People David’s wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel; Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

Zeruiah, of Bethlehem (deceased), father of Joab, Abishai and Asahel.

 Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army.
Places Hebron in Judah.

Jabesh Gilead(?)

 Jabesh Gilead – Saul had fought for them in 1 Samuel 11 and they took care of Saul’s body in 1 Samuel 31.

Mahanaim – where Ish-Bosheth reigned.

Gilead, Ashuri, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin.

Gibeon – in the Benjamin region. Renamed Helkath Hazzurim meaning field of daggers.

 

anxiety, Faith, Forgiveness, Luke, Prayer, Sanctification/holiness

Luke 22:39-46

The Father’s Will

Discussion Question

Prayer is __________.

OR

Prayer is faith speaking. Discuss.

Background

Previously, Jesus had shared the Passover meal with his disciples. At that table sat Judas who had already consented to betraying Jesus, being tempted by Satan to do so, and Simon Peter whom Jesus declared would be attacked by Satan and will betray Jesus before dawn. The time of pleasant ministry and small verbal attacks are over. It is time for Jesus to be betrayed and it will happen this very night. Despite Jesus’ warnings to the disciples and his teachings to them about the kingdom of God, they have been dull in their understanding.

Read Luke 22:39-46

39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

What did you see?

Structure

  • The plan to pray (39-40)
  • The crying Son (41-44)
  • The exhausted disciples (45-46)

The Plan to Pray (39-40)

“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives…” See Luke 21:37. At the end of his day in Jerusalem, Jesus would retire to the same location at the Mount of Olives. This is the hillside he travelled along when he arrived at the city. See John 18:2.

“…and his disciples followed him.” The way this sentence is constructed shows Jesus knowing where he is going next while the disciples are simply following. That is, they are not a band of brothers, like-minded and driven together – but a party with one leader, the one with the plan and the mission and the twelve men who followed behind. The previous episode illustrated how their minds were on a different path to Jesus’.

“On reaching the place…” Matthew 26:36 and Mark 14:32 note that the exact place is Gethsemane.

“Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He tells them to use this time to pray and gives them the specific direction of praying to stand firm in the midst of temptation (not that temptation will be avoided but that they will not fall on account of it). Jesus had told them at the Lord’s Supper that Satan had asked to sift Simon and the others like wheat (22:31). Jesus told Simon that he was going to betray him that very night. They are instructed to pray to God to ‘deliver them from evil.’ This is the theme of this small passage. Praying to God to protect us and to surrender our wills to the will of the Father.

The Crying Son (41-44)

“He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them…” The withdrawing suggests an emotional ‘pulling away’ (see Acts 21:1 which uses the same Greek word for ‘tearing oneself away’). The distance of a stone’s throw adds to the emotion picture of the passage.

“…knelt down and prayed…” Jesus had instructed them to do the same and immediately proceeded to do it himself. If prayer was what was needed then pray is what he did. It’s hard to know what to make of the detail that he knelt rather than stood or even just to note that he prayed without describing his position. Common practice was apparently to stand while praying. I’m not sure about that. Perhaps it is best to stick to the narrative and have our minds picturing the scene of Jesus pulling himself away from his friends to spend time with his Father; to position himself a few metres away; and to kneel down in humility. The Son of God is on his own, in the quiet of the night, knelt down and ready to speak to the Father.

“Father, if you are willing…” The Lord’s prayer contained the your will be done element as well as the deliver us from evil. It is a grand prayer that, when meditated on, provides all the ingredients of a faithful mind and life – aligning our wills with the Father’s will. Jesus called the God whom he prayed to Father. We pick up our language of the Trinity from verses like this. Who did Jesus pray to? God of course! This God whom he prayed to, he called Father. Jesus is also in submission to the Father. He demonstrates through his prayer that the will of the Father is paramount. If the Father is willing… When we pray, we discuss what we desire and ask if the Father is willing to allow or fulfill our request. We also surrender our expectations in order to grow in our understanding of what He wills.

“…take this cup from me…” This is a profound prayer from Jesus! The Father and the Son had a plan for salvation from the beginning and the Son entered the world knowing what this plan was. He had described on a number of occasions to the disciples what the plan was (Luke 18:33; 24:6-7). He knew the Father’s will and yet spoke honestly to the Father about it. Now, what is the cup? The closest imagery to flesh this out is what Jesus demonstrated at the last supper only a few verses earlier. Luke 22:17-20. This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Jeremiah 25:15-38 (esp. 15-29) uses the cup filled with wine as an image of God’s wrath that must be drunk. It is His wrath raged against the nations of the world, on all who live on the earth to receive punishment (see also Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17-22; . The two images of the cup of wrath and the poured out blood combine to provide for us a cup of mercy because the Son was willing to drink of it on our behalf. Note also that Jesus does not have a death wish as if this is going to be fun for him.

“…yet not my will but yours be done.” As alluded to before, what an amazing model of prayer for us. A rebellious heart may choose to run away from responsibility or consequences and hide until the storm dies down. A godly person will talk to God about what is weighing them down, ask for help and conclude to do what must be done. Tired of having not enough money? Talk to God about that but conclude that His will be done. Is there a health issue that you are facing. God can remove that for you but it may not be his will. Let His will be done. Is there a dilemma that you have – a decision that needs to be made – ask God for the answer! Know that His answer may be clear or it may be that you need to continue in prayer over the matter. Perhaps you already know what you need to do but just wish that there was another way? The examples of prayer can go on. The point though is that it is God’s will that is excellent and we ought to be growing toward loving it always.

“An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.” Clearly the will of the Father was not to take the cup from him – but He was willing to send help to get Jesus through the night.

“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Note the relationship between his physical, spiritual and emotional being. We have noticed briefly the relationship between the Son and the Father – the Son being submissive to the Father. Now we note the physical realm that Jesus existed in during his ministry here on earth. He was in physical pain, not from the sword or something else, but through the torture of having to face the outcomes of tomorrow. This was obviously more than any human has ever had to face. More than facing the wrath of God – he knew it was coming! His response? To pray even more earnestly than before! The strength of his faith ensured that he would not give up on prayer the minute things got hard. Prayer is a powerful resource that we have to centre our minds on the things of God and to speak with him about them. Our weaknesses and our hurts are shared with God. Our struggle to walk the path is shared with him. We keep talking especially in the thick of temptation. Hebrews 5:7ff alludes to prayers such as this one of Jesus that helped him to stay the path for the sake of those who would trust in him.

“…and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Luke has used very few words in this entire passage to paint the picture of Jesus’ struggle. Here he uses a simile to describe the anguish (and anxiety?) that produced sweat for Jesus. It is remarkable enough that his prayer session produced sweat.  We need not believe that the sweat was actually mixed with blood but had the weight and consistency of blood. Trust a physician to use an analogy like that (Colossians 4:14). Some manuscripts do not include verses 43 and 44, most likely because it is unique to Luke’s description of events and so scribes may have omitted this.

The Exhausted Disciples (45-46)

“When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples…” The passage has a clear focus on prayer as it begins and ends with Jesus speaking to the disciples on their need to pray and centres with Jesus’ prayer in the middle. Verse 45 is the reverse of Verse 41.

“…he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.” We are not told weather they prayed at all or not but that they did not have the endurance like Jesus – perhaps they did not last long at all! But we are told that their sleep was more than laziness, it was brought on by emotional fatigue! Was it sorrow brought on by their knowledge of temptation at hand (similar to Jesus) or was it brought on by distress of looking and watching Jesus in distress? Either way, the garden that night was filled with very intense emotion.

“Why are you sleeping?… Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” The story returns to where it began – the call to pray for protection from sin.

What did we learn?

Prayer is the right response to distress and sorrow. The weapon to overcome temptation is not will power, but prayer. It is an act of faith as we speak honestly about our desires and wants and bring them submissively before the Father who is able to do anything He wills. Jesus carried such anguish leading up to the cross which was exercised with prayer and was responded to with care from the Father. The disciples demonstrate humanities weakness.

Now what?

Topic A: Bringing it all to the Father in prayer. It is rare to find a real prayer warrior. Someone whose instinct is to take things to God in prayer and to wrestle with him in the things that need talking about. Jesus demonstrated, in his perfect example of being human, that prayer is essential. He prayed regularly and he instructed his disciples here that when things are getting ugly, the best thing to do is to pray. Notice that when he found them exhausted, he didn’t say, “oh good on you for taking care of yourselves.” He said, “wake up and pray!” Prayer is the right and loving thing to do when joy is in our hearts. Prayer is the faithful response to stress and trouble. It is the greatest tool that we have in response to temptation.

Topic B: Making prayer a habit. Given Jesus’ own dependance on the Father active in praying, how can we foster a genuine habit of praying? It would be foolish to leave all of our praying up to spontaneity. It would be foolish to assume that making something a habit equates to making it a duty. If dependance on God is what we need, then we need a daily dose of conversing with him. The Lord’s prayer has a daily flavour to it. Prayer is not about tickling God’s ear but about expressing our faith in him through habitually meeting with Him. Discuss what has been some wins or failures with your group on trying to make prayer a daily love. Have lists helped? Has routine been good? Some people associate a time of day or an activity with prayer. Perhaps abstaining from something (like TV or Facebook) until time with God has occurred.

Topic C: The cup that we do not have to drink. Jesus was in anguish over the looming event of the cross. It has been the will of the Father and of the obedient Son to propitiate (expend God’s wrath) on Jesus. We can meditate on what the cup of God’s wrath may be like but we will never ever have to experience it ourselves if we put our trust in Christ and his blood poured out on our behalf. Of course, if we ignore this momentous gift of grace, then where else can we go to avoid drinking this cup ourselves? Perhaps as we consider the topic of prayer, we can equate a praying life with a faithful life lived in response to the price that has been paid for you and me. Not willing to drink the cup yourself? Let’s run to God in prayer of thankfulness and ask Him for all wisdom to live humble and faithful lives.

Faith, Luke, Maturity, Predestination, Sanctification/holiness, Suffering, The Last Days, The Word of God

Luke 22:24-38

The greatest serves

Discussion Question

What is the most responsibility that you have ever had to carry?

Background

The Passover meal had been arranged and Jesus redefined this grand traditional meal as a remembrance of his death. Judas had consented to betraying Jesus and Jesus announced that his betrayer was seated at the table with them all. The disciples all questioned among themselves which of them was going to betray Jesus.

Read Luke 22:24-38

24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”

34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”

“Nothing,” they answered.

36 He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”

38 The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”

“That’s enough!” he replied.

What did you see?

Structure

  • Exercising authority in this world (24-25)
  • Exercising authority in the Kingdom of God (26-30)
  • The promise of trials ahead (31-38)

Exercising authority in this world (24-25)

“A dispute also arose among them…” Luke places this account in a different location to Mark and Matthew (Mark 10:42-45 and Matthew 20:25-28). It is difficult to know for sure why that is and the conclusion can often come down to what the interpreter would like to conclude! Two things can be said for sure: 1) that Jesus really seems to have said words about the nature of authority in this world compared to the kingdom of God and 2) that the gospel writers inserted this lesson from Jesus where they saw them fitting in the narrative. Perhaps Jesus said the same thing twice. But neither is it a new thing for accounts in the bible to care more about the message than they do about the exact chronology of the events. It seems reasonable to argue that there were two events in the account of Jesus’ ministry which suited the lesson from Jesus to be included at that point. Mark and Matthew quoted Jesus at one point but Luke placed those words in response to a different event.

Whatever the case, this dispute gives Jesus an occasion to explain how they are not behaving like children of the Kingdom of God.

“…as to which of them was considered to be greatest.” It doesn’t sound like an adult conversation. As Luke has placed this apparently at the table of the last supper, it just sounds so strikingly wrong! If this conversation flows directly out of Verse 23, however, it may have gone from a denial of betraying Jesus into something like, “I would never do that because I am most loyal to Jesus!” etc. What sounds like an immature and ridiculous conversation could well have flowed out of something smaller.

“…kings of the Gentiles…” Gentiles being non-Jews, ie, kings of the world.

“…call themselves Benefactors.” The simple stated nature of rulers in the world is that they hold authority and yet call themselves a giver of money to others. Even tyrant kings may wear a badge of honour as though they are benefiting the people. There may be a contrast beginning here between rulers who give themselves a good name and the leaders in the kingdom who will have the kingdom confered on them (Verse 29).

Exercising authority in the Kingdom of God (26-30)

“…greatest… like the youngest…” Jesus turns all hierarchies upside down. What seems to be the order of things in this world must not be the model for how we behave in the kingdom of God. See Mark 9:35

“…who is greater, the one who is at the table…? But I am among you as one who serves.” Jesus’ point is about humility, not reorganising who is in charge. His point is also directed at the kingdom of God and how that operates. That said, humility in the workforce and the home is a powerful and godly virtue. Jesus has placed his disciples at the table and is serving them. A greater illustration is found in John’s gospel Chapter 13 Verses 12-17 when he washed the disciples feet. That event took place on this same night.

“You are those who have stood by me in my trials.” Given that he has not been arrested yet, Jesus must be referring to the many confrontations that he has had with the teachers of the law. This sentence links to the last in that he has not been a king who lords it over people but one who undergoes trials inflicted on him by those who should be serving him. And although many chose not to follow him and many walked away, these men have stood by him. They have trusted him and persevered. Jesus is about to describe their place in the kingdom of God and it has come after his commendation that they have done well. They have been faithful with little and now they will be promised much.

“And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me…” The Father assigned the kingdom to Jesus and he is now assigning them a kingdom. The next verses will expand on what that means but here let us just acknowledge the doctrine of election. The apostles have not got lucky or paid their way to rule. Jesus has placed them in this place of authority in the kingdom. This promise must first and foremost be to the apostles specifically. Note also that this is a present tense declaration.

“…so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom…” This is Jesus’ kingdom that he is describing – my table – my kingdom. But the disciples have been chosen and elected to sit and eat and drink at the king’s table. A place of honour. Jesus has reminded us that it is those who are great who sit at tables (Verse 27).

“…and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” See also Matthew 19:28 and Revelation 3:21. Whilst the apostles are given a special place in the kingdom of God – certainly to bear witness of the One sent from heaven whom they saw with their own eyes and walked with him – whilst they do have a special place in the kingdom, it seems that this promise of judging the twelve tribes is not confined to them alone. The promise to eat with Christ and to reign with him is passed on to all who respond to Christ’s calling. 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 5:9-10. The twelve tribes of Israel is to be understood eschatologically (in context of the way things end up). All who put their hope in the Son of God are the true Israel. Romans 9-11 cover this concept that the kingdom of God is a kingdom of promise, not of descent or special treatment of a particular nation. James 1:1 describes the scattered church of Christ as the twelve tribes in the dispersion.

The promise of trials ahead (31-38)

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.” Verses 31 and 32 are amongst my favourites in all the bible. Not merely that it begins with my name repeated for emphasis and so seems quite directed to me! But more than that, this verse and the next describe two amazing truths of the scriptures (and more). Here we see the subordination of Satan to God. Satan is free but on a leash. We see in the book of Job how Satan needs to report back to God and is only allowed to do to Job what God permits. A day will come when Satan will be sent to eternal punishment. But in God’s wisdom he is permitted to tempt and sift people like wheat. The faith of the elect will be tested. Simon and the others, with God’s permission, will be put to the test. Those who stand firm to the end will be victorious. This is called the perseverance of the saints and this is the first truth that helps to put temptation and trials into perspective. James 1:2-4. God is not permitting Satan this job for his own sadistic joy. It is a means to maturity. Satan has asked permission and God has presumably permitted it. Christianity is not a life choice for the faint-hearted. But…

“…I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Such a beautiful word from Jesus to Simon. The Son of God, the King of kings has prayed for this fisherman. Note that Jesus prays to God. Remember the doctrine of the Trinity teaches us that although Jesus is God, he also prays to the Father who is God. The content of the prayer is that Simon’s faith may not fail. It is not that Simon will be excused from temptation or even that Simon will remain faultless but that his faith will not fail. Jesus knows that there will be a need for Simon to turn back. And that a repentant Simon is still equipped to strengthen others. Take heart at the comfort of these words. Those who have been elected for salvation (Verse 28), will have their faith tested which ultimately produces perseverance and maturity, and we have the Son of God praying for us (see also John 17) to ensure the preservation of the saints. It is the perseverance of the saints and the preservation of the saints which come out of these verses which I love.

“…I tell you Peter, before the rooster crows today…” I have often pondered why Jesus calls this man Simon at one point and Peter at the next. I can’t be sure but I have an inkling that Jesus talks to this man like he has two sides. Simon is the fisherman who is mortal and represents the person vulnerable to temptation. While Peter is the rock who is brave for the kingdom. Jesus tells this brave rock that he will fail before sunrise.

As Jesus knew the plans of Judas, He also sees how the night will unfold for Simon Peter.

“When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything? “Nothing” they answered.” He refers to the time they were all sent out on mission to proclaim the kingdom of God (Luke 9:1-6; 10:4). Back then they were sent with nothing and lacked nothing. It was not a miracle but they were provided for when people from Jewish towns welcomed them in to hear about the kingdom of God. They received some rejection but they returned from the mission praising God for all that they were able to do in Jesus’ name. The season has changed now and working for the kingdom is going to get harder.

“But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.” People will be turning on the Son of Man and the nature of the mission is about to change. This is a warning passage. Satan has asked to shake them down and the people of their own villages can no longer be relied on for hospitality.

“It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’, …this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.” Isaiah 53 was written about Jesus and Jesus knew that. The disciples wanted to know who was the greatest. Jesus teaches them that in the kingdom of God, there will be eating and judging but not in the next chapter. What will come next is persecution on the disciples and the King of the kingdom will be treated like a sinner. This must be fulfilled. Because it has been predetermined by God and He does not lie or change.

“See, Lord, here are two swords”…. “That’s enough!” he replied.” Later, the disciples will ask to use the sword and even strike the servant of the high priest but Jesus will rebuke them and heal the man. There are no accounts of sword wielding in the book of Acts.  The disciples have heard Jesus’ words and missed his point. They were being told a) that they will need to make provisions for themselves from now on and b) that he is about to be numbered with the transgressors! That is a big statement. In fulfilling scripture, Jesus will become the lowest. And their reply is “we have two swords boss!” Jesus reply to them seems to be a dismissal of the whole conversation or even a frustrated termination.

What did we learn?

Greatness in the kingdom of God is not fought for but bestowed on by election from the Son of God. As the King of the kingdom, he will demonstrate completely what the nature of the kingdom is: he will fulfill scripture and take on the position of a sinner. Being part of God’s kingdom is a road of trials and tests, as Jesus has demonstrated to his disciples and now they must walk the road of trials and tests. But Jesus preserves his people through prayer. Discipleship is a road hard to walk along, but we have every spiritual gift given to us and the hope of glory promised.

Now what?

Topic A: Humility as a mark of discipleship. Galatians 5:22-23 and James 3:17 list some of the fruit of the spirit which may well be summarised with the word ‘humility’. Philippians 2:3-11 describe the humility of Christ as the prime example of the humility that we ought to possess and cultivate. The nature of the kingdom of God is to put one another before ourselves. This is a true mark of godliness. How can you monitor your progress in this?

Topic B: Perseverance of the saints. All Christians are saints. When you have truly understood the grace of God in Christ and turned to Him in faith we can rest on the promises of God that a) he has called you into his kingdom and b) he promises to finish the work that he began in you (Ephesians 2:1-10). The journey is rough though. The world, the flesh and the devil will each do their darndest to knock you off the boat. James 1:5 says that if you lack wisdom on how to live in humility (James 3:13) then ask God for this wisdom that only he can give since it does not come from this world.

Topic C: Jesus is the fulfillment of Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 tells us that the Scriptures are all we need to find salvation in Christ and grow up mature in him. Jesus taught some disciples in Luke 24:25-27 that the Old Testament scriptures are filled with words concerning Jesus that had to be fulfilled. He is the missing piece that solves the great mystery of God. Ephesians 1:9-10 describe Jesus as the mystery of God finally revealed. We will never grow weary of learning more about him, to get to know him more, to understand him and even to participate in his sufferings so that somehow we shall be welcomed at his table in his kingdom to reign with him (Philippians 3:10-11). What grace that we do not deserve.