Month: August 2021

1 ³⁵ In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. ³⁶ And Simon and his companions hunted for him. ³⁷ When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” ³⁸ He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” ³⁹ And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. 

⁴⁰ A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. ⁴³ After sternly warning him he sent him away at once,
⁴⁴ saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
⁴⁵ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

2When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. ² So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. ³ Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.
⁴ And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts?
⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰ But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— ¹¹ “I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.” ¹² And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

¹³ Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. ¹⁴ As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 

¹⁵ And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷ When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What does Jesus do first thing in the morning? How do the disciples respond? What does Jesus tell them in return?

2. Who approaches Jesus for healing? What is significant about Jesus’ response to this man, [see notes]? What does Jesus tell the man to do after he is healed? How does the man respond to this?

3. Who is the next person to be healed? How does this person get into Jesus’ presence? How did Jesus respond to the man’s “entrance?” How would you have reacted if you had been there?

4. What does Jesus say to the man? How did some of the people react? Why is this such a big deal? How does Jesus respond to the teachers? What does he say to the paralyzed man? 

5. How does the crowd react to all of this? How might you have reacted if you had been in the house? If you were the one who was healed?

6. Where does Jesus go next? Who does he meet? How does the man respond to Jesus’ command? Who has a problem at the party? How does Jesus deal with it? What detail does Matthew include?

Get Personal

How do the three Gospels describe the relationship among sin, disease and demons? How does Jesus deal with these problems? How has God helped you understand health and wholeness in your life? In others’ lives?

(cross-references to Matthew and Luke are given in brackets)
1:35. Luke says the crowds searched for Jesus, not the disciples; and when they found him they did not want him to leave them. Luke reports Jesus responding “I was sent for this purpose,” (not “what I came to do”), and that he preached in the synagogues of Judea, [4:42-44].
Matthew does not include this incident.
1:40. Leprosy — the term covered a wide variety of skin conditions. Jewish law of the time required people with “leprosy” to avoid other people and forced them to live in very poor conditions on the edge of the community.
What Moses commanded — Mosaic Law required a person whose leprosy was cured to make specific sacrifices of thanksgiving [Lev 13-14].
Luke includes the incident of the man with leprosy with a few differences, [5:12-16]. Luke calls it an “advanced case,” and Luke does not report the man telling what happened, only that the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. Luke also says Jesus would withdraw to deserted places and pray. Matthew also includes this incident, but omits the details about news of Jesus power spreading and many people coming to him for healing, [8:1-4]. 
2:1. Luke’s version of this incident

is almost identical to Mark’s [5:17-26]. Luke refers to Pharisees as well as teachers and notes: they had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. Luke also says the power of the Lord was with him to heal. Jesus’ declaration of the power to forgive sin is the same in both. Luke closes with the crowd saying “We have seen strange things today.”
Matthew’s version is much briefer – but it does include the key exchange about forgiving sins, [9:1-8]. Matthew has the paralyzed man simply brought to Jesus, not lowered through the roof. Matthew reports Jesus calling the teachers’ remarks evil in your hearts, and he says, when the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.
2:13-17. Luke includes the calling of Levi very close to Mark’s narrative. Luke includes that Levi left everything and followed Jesus. Jesus’ response to the Pharisees is identical in Luke [5:27-32].
Matthew’s version of this incident (some believe this is his own calling) also closely follows Mark’s, but uses only his name. Matthew adds Jesus’ admonition to the Pharisees: “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ [9:9-13; the Scripture Jesus quotes is Hosea 6:6].

1 ¹⁴ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” 

¹⁶ As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰ Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. 

The man with the unclean spirit

²¹ They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. ²² They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. ²³ Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, ²⁴ and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” ²⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” ²⁶ And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁷ They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” ²⁸ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee. 

Jesus heals many at Simon’s house

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰ Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. ³¹ He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. 

³² That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. ³³ And the whole city was gathered around the door. ³⁴ And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What event triggers the start of Jesus’ ministry? Why does Jesus say “The time is fulfilled”? What is the “Good News” Jesus refers to? Why does Matthew include Isaiah’s prophecy?

2. Where does Jesus meet his first disciples? Who does he call? What does he offer them? How did they respond? Who does Jesus recruit next?

3. Why do you suppose Luke puts the story of Jesus in the synagogue and then being rejected at the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry? Where do Jesus and his new disciples go? What does Jesus do there? 

4. What happens when Jesus is teaching? How would the man know who Jesus is? How does Jesus respond to the man? What does the spirit do? 

5. How does Jesus respond to the next situation? What is the result? How do the people respond? Why did Jesus made the demons stay quiet?

Get Personal

How does God help you deal with the stuff of this life when it gets in the way of following Christ? How has your “fishing” been lately?

(Cross-references to Matthew and Luke are given in brackets)
1:14. Matthew adds some detail about Jesus’ trip to Galilee and links it to a prophecy: Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” [4:12-17].
Luke puts the calling of the disciples after the incident of the man with an unclean spirit and healings at Simon’s house, but adds dramatic detail: Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching

people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him, [5:1-11].
1:15. Matthew includes “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near,” [4:17]. 
1:16. Matthew includes a general description of Jesus’ ministry after the calling of the disciples: Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan, [4:23-25].
Decapolis — “Ten Cities” – a non-Jewish region southeast of Galilee.
1:21. Luke’s report of this incident is very similar to Marks [4:31-37], but he puts it after the story of Jesus in the synagogue and rejection in Nazareth, which Mark places later in Jesus’ ministry.
Matthew does not include the story of casting out the evil spirit. 
1:22. Luke does not mention “scribes.”
1:23. Luke matches Mark’s version of the evil spirit’s speech and Jesus’ response, but says the evil spirit threw the man down before them, [4:34-35].
1:27. Luke does not include the question about “new teaching,” but does add that unclean spirits come out at his command! [4:36].
1:29. Matthew includes a very brief version of the story of healing Peter’s mother-in-law and the other healings that Mark mentions, [8:14-17].
Luke includes the story with some minor differences. Luke does not mention Andrew or James and John. Luke reports that Jesus “stood over her and rebuked the fever,” [4:39]. 
1:32. Luke also describes Jesus healing many people and not allowing the “demons” to speak [3:40].

Matthew 1  An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

² Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, . . . ¹⁶ and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. 

Luke 3:23   Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work. He was the son (as was thought) of Joseph son of Heli, ²⁴ son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph, . . . ³⁶ son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech, ³⁷ son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan, ³⁸ son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.

Notes . . .

Matthew puts his Gospel in the context of Jewish history, so he begins the narrative with Abraham, the Jewish patriarch to whom God first made the promise of blessing.

Luke sees Jesus as the savior of all humanity, so he traces Jesus’s lineage – in reverse order – all the way back to Adam, the “first” human God created.

Matthew 2:13   Now after they [the wise men, who ignored Herod’s request to report Jesus’s location] had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” ¹⁴ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, ¹⁵ and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

¹⁶ When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.^{b  17} Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

¹⁸ “A voice was heard in Ramah,
ailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

¹⁹ When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ²⁰ “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” ²¹ Then Josephgot up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. ²³ There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”

Luke 2:21   After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. . . . [Simeon and Anna prophecy about Jesus in the temple] 

³⁹ When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

⁴¹ Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. ⁴² And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. ⁴³ When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. ⁴⁴ Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” ⁴⁹ He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand what he said to them. ⁵¹ Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Luke 3  In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee . . .

Get into the Word:

1. Who is involved int the first incident? How did they become involved? What happens to Jesus? To his parents? Why does Matthew include this incident in Jesus’s story [see notes]?

2. What incident does Luke include in his Gospel? Where does this take place? What happens during this trip? What is Jesus doing when his parents find him? How do they react? How does Jesus respond?

Notes . . .

2:13. Wise men — the visit of the priest kings brings honor and homage to the infant Jesus; but it also leads to the murder of at least several hundred young children [v. 16].Flee  to Egypt — 1500 years earlier, the Israelites had gone to Egypt to escape the famine in Palestine. Matthew recounts Jesus’s parallel journey to underscore his role in fulfilling Jewish prophecy.
2:23. Nazorean — actually none of the Biblical prophets includes this.

2:42. Twelve years old — this is the only incident about Jesus before he begins his ministry.
2:44. Group of travelers — pilgrims often traveled in group of several families so it would not be unusual for Jesus to be separated from his parents.
2:49. Must be in my Father’s house — Jesus is correct, but he appears to be overlooking his obligations to his family, which may explain Luke’s note about obedience in
v. 51.
3:1. Fifteenth year . . . — Luke anchors the start of Jesus’s ministry in the wider world, consistent with his view of Jesus as the savior of all humanity.