Let's read the Bible
February 19, 2021
This week we will go back to the New Testament and read the book of Luke. Luke wrote the book of Luke and the book of Acts. Luke states in Chapter One that he has investigated so we might know the exact truth of what we have been taught. In Acts 1 he says his first account was about all that Jesus began to do and teach. In both cases he mentions “most excellent” Theophilus, which means lover of God. Luke’s desire was for those who love God to know the truth about Jesus.
Luke begins with the events surrounding the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus. In Chapter Three Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist and the voice from heaven says “this is my beloved son.” Luke then gives the genealogy of Jesus the Son of God all the way back to Adam the son of God. It is interesting that Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, was a descendant of a daughter of Aaron. The New Testament writers as well as their first century audience knew all of this Old Testament history. Everything is connected and is here to help our understanding today.
Luke is full of Jesus' actions and his teaching through parables. Some give insight into the teachings of the laws of Moses, some give hints about who Jesus is, some teach about God the Father, and later some predict His crucifixion and resurrection. Parables were stories with hidden meanings. People who wanted to learn understood, and people who were against Jesus usually missed the point.
The parable of the prodigal son, which is really about the Father, tells of mercy and forgiveness, and even rejoicing from the Father, but also repentance and confession by the prodigal son. The lessons from the parables are still relevant for us today.
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