Studies in The Gospel of Luke

BY JOHN EDMISTON

Luke 1:3-4 “It seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.”

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John Edmiston        johned@cybermissions.org   Skype ID: johnedmiston

(CEO - Cybermissions)  www.globalchristians.org www.cybermission.org

Introduction and Study Guide to The Gospel of Luke

These 61 studies cover the entire Gospel of Luke and were taught to a very diverse bible study group in Carson, California over a period of two years or so.

The general format each evening was a light supper, followed by the study, followed by a time of prayer for the prayer requests of the group members.

The studies are for Christians who enjoy bible study and biblical exploration for its own sake. They are not “feel good” studies and they do require some work. The group who did them felt that they learned a great deal about Jesus as a result.

The questions are designed to engage learners in deep bible study and theological reflection as they explore this Gospel. Many parallel passages are also explored in order to build Luke into the Gospel narrative and into the biblical narrative as a whole. Full biblical inerrancy is assumed.

This is a verse-by-verse exegetical approach to Luke as we follow Jesus’ life, ministry, death and resurrection. Practical issues are dealt with along the way as each passage is explored in-depth.

Historical and cultural context is important and is often pointed out in the questions themselves. It is a good idea to have a concordance and a bible dictionary handy during each study or a good bible study computer program or bible app as the studies naturally generate many side questions.

Theologically, the studies are non-denominational and do not push any particular divisive doctrines. The studies should be suitable for most Evangelical, Charismatic and Pentecostal Christians.

Most studies have nine discussion questions and most of the “air time” is supposed to be group members answering these questions (not the group leader). We took turns reading the Scriptures and answering questions.

While there are very certainly “right and wrong answers” to the study questions, the group leader should be kind, courteous and non-judgmental, encouraging group members to speak up and to explore the text of the Gospel. Any correction should be given in a spirit of Christian love.

Doing 61 studies is a long haul. It involves a considerable commitment of time and energy to find out about Jesus. However deep exploration like this also leads to a much deeper knowledge of Christ and the gospel!

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 1:1-25

In this gospel, Luke explains the life and ministry of Jesus to “Theophilus”, a name that means “lover of God” or “beloved by God”. It is mainly directed to Greek-speaking Jews in the Dispersion, who tended to use a Greek Old Testament known as the Septuagint. Luke was a ministry companion of Paul.

Warm-Up:  What are your family traditions around Christmas and the Christmas story?

1. Read Luke 1:1-4 – What are Luke’s purposes in writing this gospel?

2. 1:5 – At what time in history does the gospel open? How specific is Luke about this? Are these fictional characters or real characters?

3. 1:6-7 – What was the problem for Zechariah and Elizabeth? Was it their fault? What does this tell us about some of our own life problems?

4. 1:8-12  – How did God answer their prayers?

5. 1:13-17 –  What would John the Baptist be like? How was he going to be very different from other people? Also see Matthew 11:7-19 for what Jesus says about John the Baptist.

6. Do you believe that God sets some people aside from birth for special ministry purposes? How was John the Baptist filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb?

7. 1:16-17 – What was the life mission of John the Baptist?

8. 1:18-22 – What happened to Zechariah and why did it happen?

9. 1:23-25 – What happened to Elizabeth and what was her reaction?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 1:26-56

Luke gives a detailed account of the Virgin Birth.  Luke was said to be quite close to Mary (along with John) and this account has quite a few details (e.g. her time with Elizabeth her older cousin).

Warm-Up:  How do you cope when God does the unusual?

1. 1:26-27 – Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel. What are some of the roles of angels in Scripture that you can remember? How were they involved with the birth of Samson?

2. 1:27-28  – Of what lineage was Joseph? Do you think that Joseph knew that the Messiah would be one of his relatives?

3. 1:28-33 – What was the term that Gabriel used to describe Mary? What form was God’s divine favor going to take in her life?

4. 1:34-38 –  What was Mary’s question and what was Gabriel’s response? How does this illumine our understanding of the gospel?

5. 1:37 – Why is nothing impossible with God?

6. 1:39-45 – What was Elizabeth’s reaction?  How is this significant for us?

7. 1:46-55 – Mary’s praise song is now known as the Magnificat from the words “my soul magnifies the Lord..” what are some of the themes and characteristics of this praise anthem?  Does it sound like anything we would sing in church today?

8. 1:57  – How long did Mary stay with Elizabeth?  Probably until John the Baptist was born. Why do you think Luke includes this point?

9. Submission and obedience to the Lord’s sovereign will is an important theme here. How does it apply to us in the 21st century?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 1:57-80  - Birth of John the Baptist

John the Baptist is an incredibly important figure as the prophet who was the precursor to the Messiah. See also Malachi 3:1-3, 4:5-6 and Matthew 11:7-14

Warm-Up:  Have you ever met a very unusual “saint”? What were they like? What is the difference between “normal people” and people who are clearly “set aside” for divine purposes?

1. 1:57-58 – What happens to Elizabeth?  How is she regarded by her neighbors as a result?

2. 1:59-64 – What happened during the eight-day circumcision and naming ceremony?

3. 1:65-66 – What reaction did these signs and portents create in the hill country of Judea?

4. 1:67 –  Here we find Zacharias prophesying, even though he did not have the office of “prophet”.  See also Numbers 11:25-26,  1 Samuel 10:10-11.  What is the difference between one-time prophesying and the office of prophet?

5. 1:68-70 – Why is Zacharias praising God?  What is his view of Scripture and of God?

6. 1:71-73 – What is the oath sworn to Abraham? (Genesis 22:15-18)  Why was it important to the Jews?  How does it now apply to us? (Galatians 3:14-16, 29)

7. 1:74-75 – What is the Christian life supposed to be like? How are we to serve God?

8. 1:76-77 –  What was the earthly mission of John the Baptist? See Luke 3:1-5

9. 1:78-79 – What was the mission of Jesus? See Isaiah 9:1-7,  Matthew 4:13-17

10. 1:80 – What was the lifestyle of John the Baptist?  Matthew 3:1-4

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 2:1-20 - Birth of Jesus, The Shepherds

These verses are all about people acting and reacting to a sovereign move of God, caught up in a heavenly drama, and scarcely aware of how important the unfolding events were.  They are about ordinary people right in the midst of the totally extraordinary.

Warm-Up:  How important is it that this event had witnesses? Why is historicity important?

1. 2:1-3 – What year was this approximately? How does Luke give the timing?

2. 2:4 – How can even the acts of government officials ensure that prophecy is quietly fulfilled?  (see Micah 5:2)

3. 2:5-7 – Couldn’t God have arranged better accommodation for the Messiah? Then why didn’t He? Why do the ways of the Lord sometimes seem very strange to us? (Isaiah 55:8-9)

4. 2:8-12 – What was the sign that the angels told the shepherds about?

5. 2:10-14 – Summarize the good news that the angels brought. Why is it still good news today?

6. 2:15 – Where did the angels go? Why is this important? What does it tell us about the relationship between Heaven and earth?

7. 2:16-20 – What did the shepherds do?  How did people react to what the shepherds told them? How were they “good witnesses”?

8. 2:19 – How did Mary react? How can we treasure up spiritual moments in our heart? What happens when we just let them slide away?

9. How can ordinary people get involved in God’s supernatural ways?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 2:21-40  - The Circumcision of Jesus, Jesus As A Baby In The Temple

In this section of Luke, we see Jesus fulfilling the Law and the Prophets even at the age of eight days. Bethlehem was about 7 miles from the Temple, or an easy morning’s walk.

Warm-Up:  How important is it that this event had witnesses? Why is historicity important?

1. 2:21 – What routinely happened on the eighth day (Genesis 17:12, Leviticus 12:3) ? Why was He called Jesus (Matthew 1:21) What does this say about the piety and obedience of the Holy Family?

2. 2:22 – First read Leviticus 12:2-6.  What are the “days of her purification”? What is the minimum time they would have stayed in Bethlehem?

3. 2:23-24 – According to Leviticus they were to bring: a) a lamb, b) two turtledoves or pigeons.  Where is the Lamb?

4. 2:25 – Simeon the Just – may have been a well-known Jewish figure “the last of the great men of the synagogue”. Some have him as one of the seventy translators of the Septuagint (Greek Bible), or even as the son of Hillel and the father of Gamaliel. He was devout and the Holy Spirit was on him – which means he had a holy life. What was the purpose of Simeon’s life?  How does it contrast with the purposes of many other lives?

5. 2:26-27 – How did the Holy Spirit guide Simeon?

6. 2:28-33 – How did Simeon know this Child was the messiah? What did he say about Jesus?

7. 2:34-35 – What would be the downside to being the Mother of this extraordinary Child?

8. 2:36-37 – Anna is the same name as Hannah and means the grace of God. Phanuel means “the face of God”. She was a prophetess and may have been well over 100 years old.  What was Anna’s lifestyle?

9. 2:38 – What was Anna’s spiritual reaction to Jesus?  Note the reaction to Jesus of:  John the Baptist, Elizabeth, Simeon reaction and Anna. How do Spirit-filled people see life differently?

10. 2:39-40 – At this point Luke skips over the journey to Egypt and the death of the innocents (Matthew 2:13-23) and just said they returned to Nazareth. How do even Bible authors select the details to suit the purpose that God has for their writings? How did Jesus grow up?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 2:41-52

This study covers the childhood of Jesus and His first visit to the Temple at the time of His Bar-Mitzvah when Jesus becomes a “son of the Law” and is expected to obey the Torah on His own.

It was at twelve years old that Jewish boys came personally under the obligations of the law of Moses. Up to that age they had been treated as children, taught by their parents at home, but not yet expected to obey the harder precepts, such as fasting, or attending at Jerusalem at the three great feasts of the year. But at twelve years old they were called "Sons of the Law" or "Sons of the Precept;" and this signified that they now entered upon the second stage of life, and were no longer mere children. Henceforth they were old enough to have knowledge of their own, and to obey for themselves.

(Sermon Bible Commentary in E-Sword)

1. Read Luke 2:41-42 – What does this tell us about the lifestyle and customs of Joseph and Mary? (BTW up = elevation, Jerusalem was in the mountains).

2. Luke 2:43-45 – Why did Jesus’ parents lose track of Him?

3. Luke 2:46-47 – What was Jesus doing? Why were people astonished? What did this indicate?

4. How does God give supernatural levels of Wisdom to those who walk closely with Him?

See Isaiah 11:2, 1 Corinthians 2:9-16, James 1:5-8, 3:17,18 and 1 John 2:20,27

5. Luke 2: 48-50  - How did Jesus’ parents respond? What was Jesus’ reply? What was the real meaning of His reply?

6. Luke 2:51-52 – Where did they go back to? Often with God’s heroes as soon as they show promise they are just “sent back” to resume normal living as if nothing had happened. Why do you think God does this?

7. Why didn’t Jesus start teaching right away since He was obviously smarter than the scholars?

8. Luke 2:52 – How does this verse summarize the various aspects of our process of maturity?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, please increase us in wisdom, in physical health and in favor with God and man.

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 3:1-20

John the Baptist was an incredibly important forerunner to Jesus and the greatest of the Old Testament saints (Matthew 11:11-13). John is the bridge between two spiritual eras. John is a very spiritually powerful person with an enormous love of holiness that sets him apart from the world and in conflict with its powers and principalities, yet John is honored in the eyes of God.

1. Read Luke 3:1,2 - How does Luke describe John’s entry into the ministry?

2. Luke 3:2  – “The Word of the Lord came to..”  How is the prophetic ‘word of the Lord’ different from the Bible? How do prophets get this prophetic word? How is this similar to the OT prophets e.g. Jeremiah 1:2,4,11,13, Ezekiel 1:3, 3:16, Joel 1:1, Jonah 1:1, Micah 1:1, Haggai 1:1, Zephaniah 1:1

3. Why do you think the date, time, place and circumstances of the “word of the Lord coming to..” someone is often recorded?  How is this like our conversion or other memorable spiritual event?

4. Luke 3:3 – What did John proclaim? How was it different from that of the Levitical priests?

5. Luke 3:4-6  / Isaiah 40:3-5 – How was John’s message a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy?

6. Luke 3:7-9 – What was John’s message to his hearers? How is this different from most modern preachers? How should we warn people?

7. Luke 3:11-14 – How did John the Baptist apply Christian ethics to common life situations? How does our lifestyle reflect our comprehension of the gospel?

8. Luke 3:15-17 – What did John the Baptist say when he was asked if he was the Messiah?

9. Luke 3:19-20 –  What happened when John clashed with Herod? How will the gospel often offend those in power?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 3:21-38

The baptism and genealogy of Jesus in Luke is incredibly important and also a point of great dispute often used by atheists to disprove the gospels. However, if we go deeply into it we find it full of fascinating truth!

1. Read Luke 3:21,22  + Matthew 3:13-17 + John 1:28-33

What picture do these parallel accounts give of the baptism of Jesus

2. What was God’s testimony concerning Jesus?

3. How was the whole Trinity involved?

4. Look at Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38   Luke’s genealogy is very different from Matthew’s.  Luke shows after David, then through Nathan. The best explanation for this is that Matthew’s genealogy is through Joseph (traditional Jewish patrilineal descent) whereas Luke’s is through Mary, or that Mary’s father Heli. So it goes Jesus son of Mary-daughter of Heli, the actual line of biological descent.

5. The biological descent goes from Mary back through Nathan, son of David, thus avoiding the normal royal line and the curse of Jeconiah, a wicked king (Jeremiah 22:24-30) whose offspring would never sit on the throne. How do curses travel down the bloodline? Can curses affect us today?

6. What has Jesus done to stop curses? Galatians 3:10-14

7. What is the difference between “spiritual descent” and “physical descent”? Do you feel that you are “spiritually related” to one of your ancestors/family and share many of their attributes?

8. Why is Adam called the son of God? (Luke 3:38)

9. Who was Zerubbabel  son of Shealtiel (Luke 3:27) and why is he important?  (Haggai 1:1, Ezra 3:2)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 4:1-14 – The Temptation of Jesus

The word for temptation, also means “hard testing” and the idea is that a person’s character is put to the test until breaking point. God assures us that He will provide a way of escape from overwhelming temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13), however we must flee it or master it (see article below).

1. Read Hebrews 2:18, 4:12-16 - How is the Temptation of Jesus relevant to us?

2. Read Matthew 4:1-11 - Are there some slight differences with Luke’s account?

3. Why did the Holy Spirit send Jesus into an isolated place for spiritual testing?  (Luke 4:1,2)

4. What is significant about the number 40 as in the 40 days of fasting? How does it parallel the 40 years of testing Israel in the Wilderness. Why does extended fasting seem to disappear in the New Testament as a means of getting through to God?

5. What are some temptations, common to us, that the Devil did not even try with Jesus? What does this say about the nature of Jesus?

6. Have you ever been tempted to turn stones into bread? What was so wrong with Jesus feeding himself? How would this have been an abuse of his spiritual powers?

7. What is the difference between abracadabra magic and genuine use of godly spiritual power?

8. How can Satan offer us “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory”? But what is the cost? Why did Jesus refuse this? Why is false/idolatrous/Satanic worship so dangerous?

9. “If you are the Son of God - throw yourself off the temple” what is the temptation to spiritual risk and folly? How do we see this in some “faith ministry” situations today? What is the difference between risk coming to us (e.g. persecution) and going out and deliberately indulging in risk? (going into a mosque and preaching against M.)

10. What happened to Jesus after the temptation was concluded? (put the Matthew and Luke accounts together here)

From The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Tempt; Temptation

temt, tem-tā´shun (נסה, nāṣāh, “to prove” “try,” “tempt” מסּה, maṣṣāh, “a trial,” “temptation”; πειράζω, peirázō, “to try” “prove” πειρασμός, peirasmós “a trial,” “proof”): The words have a sinister connotation in present-day usage which has not always attached to them. Originally the words were of neutral content, with the sense of “putting to the proof,” the testing of character or quality. Thus, God is “tempted” by Israel's distrust of Him, as if the people were actually challenging Him to show His perfections (Exo_17:2; Psa_78:18; Act_15:10; Heb_3:9, and often); Abraham is “tempted,” being called upon to offer up Isaac (Gen_22:1); and Jesus is “tempted” to a spectacular Messiahship (Mt 4 and parallel passages (see TEMPTATION OF CHRIST)). No evil is implied in the subject of these temptations. Temptation therefore in the Scripture sense has possibilities of holiness as well as of sin. For as all experience witnesses, it is one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall. To be tempted - one may rejoice in that (Jam_1:2), since in temptation, by conquering it, one may achieve a higher and nobler manhood.

“Why comes temptation but for man to meet

And master and make crouch beneath his foot,

And so be pedestaled in triumph?”

Holiness in its best estate is possible only under conditions which make it necessary to meet, resist and triumph over temptation. Thus, Jesus Himself became our Great High Priest in that, being tempted in all points like as we are, He never once yielded, but fought and triumphed (Heb_4:15).

One must not deceive one's self, however, in thinking that, because by the grace of God one may have profit of virtue through temptation as an instrument, all temptation is equally innocent and virtuous. It is noticeable in the case of Jesus that His temptation was under the direction of the Spirit (Mar_1:12); He Himself did not seek it, nor did He fear it. Temptations encountered in this way, the way of duty, the way of the Spirit, alone constitute the true challenge of saintship (Jam_1:12); but it is the mark of an ignoble nature to be perpetually the center of vicious fancies and tempers which are not of God but of the devil (Jam_1:13-15). One may not escape entirely such buffetings of faith, but by any sound nature they are easily disposed of. Not so easily disposed of are the trials (temptations) to faith through adversity, affliction, trouble (Luk_22:28; Act_20:19; Jam_1:2; 1Pe_1:6); and yet there is no lack of evidence to the consoling fact that God does not suffer His own to be tempted above what they are able to bear (1Co_10:13) and that for every crisis His grace will be sufficient (2Co_12:8, 2Co_12:9).

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 4:15-44 – Initial Ministry of Jesus

In these verses we find Jesus spiritual self-identification and his first few ministry occasions involving preaching, healing and declaring the Kingdom of God. Some of the keywords are identity, missions, purpose and authority.

1. Read Luke 4:15-21 and Isaiah 61:1-4 – What was Jesus’ calling? How is the Old Testament fulfilled in the New Testament?

2. Read Luke 4:22-30, Matthew 13:54-58 – What was the reaction of the people of Nazareth? Why is it often hardest to talk about God with our relatives?

3. Luke 4:25-27 is very pointed since the three people mentioned as being healed were all non-Jews!  What point was Jesus trying to make? Are we ever “entitled to a miracle”?

4. Luke 4:31,32 – What was astonishing about the teaching of Jesus? (The word authority is the Greek word exousia which means positional or governmental authority)

5. Luke 4:32-37 – How does Jesus demonstrate his authority? What was the reaction of the people of Capernaum?  Did anyone in the Old Testament cast out a demon with a word?

6. Luke 4:34 – Who did the demons say Jesus was and had come to do? On the other hand, what did Jesus say He had come to do? (vs. 18-19)

7. Luke 4:38,39 – How did Jesus treat the fever? Why is this somewhat unusual?

8. Luke 4:40,41 – What is the difference between the way Jesus handles demons and the way Jesus handles illness?

9. Luke 4:41 – What did the demons know about Jesus’ identity? How is our identity perceived spiritually?

10. Luke 4:42-44 – What did the people want to do with Jesus? However, Jesus did not listen to them, why? How does this come back to His sense of identity, mission and purpose?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 5:1-26

In these verses we find a series of demonstrations of the authority and claims of Jesus upon human lives, over entrenched disease and over sin and paralysis. As we study this passage you should get an idea of the absolute Lordship of Jesus!

1. Read Luke 5:1-3 – What was Jesus’ initial use of the boast for and why did He need to do this? (go back to Luke 4:42-44)

2. In Luke 5:4-11  Jesus “shuts down” a small fishing business with partners Simon, James and John.   These three business partners become the top three apostles. Why do you think Jesus chose people who already worked well together and who got results together?

3. Peter gives three different reactions to Jesus – what were they? How do they often correspond to God’s call on our lives?

4. What was Jesus’ promise to these early apostles?  How can we be “fishers of men”?

5. Luke 5:12-15 – The man was described as “full of leprosy”, what do you imagine this looked like?  What was Jesus’ attitude to the man? Why was Jesus not afraid to touch him?

6. How did Jesus’ instructions to the healed leper reflect a level of social wisdom and propriety? How can Christian ministry sometimes be at odds with cultural norms and existing religious institutions?

7. Luke 5:16 – What did Jesus do as a counterpoint to His incredible popularity?  Why?

8. Read Luke 5:17-26 & Mark 3:2-12 – What are the two main things that happened to the paralytic and how do these relate to the two powers that Jesus claimed? What got Jesus to do the miracle?

9. What was the objection of the lawyers, Scribes and Pharisees?  How did Jesus overcome it?  Did it involve a Temple ritual?

10. What was the reaction of the crowd? Why did this miracle amaze them more than other miracles did?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 5:27-39

In this study we will look at Sinners and Covenants and how Jesus came to call people to repentance and into a new relationship with God.  Levi is another name for Matthew. He was the chief tax-collector in Capernaum and was very wealthy.

1. Read Luke 5:27,28 – What occurs in these verses? Put yourself in Levi’s shoes?  Though Levi was rich, how was he generally regarded in society?

2. In Luke 5:29,30 Levi holds a great party in his “gansta mansion” for Jesus.  What kind of people were there?   Why did Jesus go to this party?

3. How can hospitality and friendliness be a part of our witness for Christ?

4. What was Jesus’ promise to these early apostles?  How can we be “fishers of men”?

5. Luke 5:30-32 – How did Jesus answer the Scribes?  How does this play out in other scenarios?  How do we apply it ourselves?

6. Luke 5:33-35 – Why was Jesus not an ascetic (self-punishing, fasting, severe on himself and on His disciples)?  When would His disciples fast? See also Colossians 2:18-23

7. Luke 5:36-38 – What did Jesus mean by “old wineskins” and “new wineskins”? How does this compare with the Old Covenant and the New Covenant?

8. Luke 5:39 – Why don’t people brought up on the old traditions (old wine) immediately enjoy the new revival (new wine)?

9. Why did the Scribes stay out of the New Covenant while the tax-gatherers went into it?

(see also Matthew 21:28-31)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 6:1-16   -   Rules vs. People

1. Read Luke 6:1-5 and compare with Matthew 12:1-8 – what is the priority for Jesus, rules or people? Why does Jesus give priority to mercy and compassion?

2. How can too many rules make the spiritual life miserable?

3. What are some times when we can bend the rules out of compassion?  How should we react to say a teenage pregnancy?

4. Read Luke 6:6-11 – Who are the “rule-enforcers”?

How do they react when their rules are broken?

How do such people go around looking for someone to accuse?

How did they react when their rule was overturned by the actions and teachings of Jesus?

5. Spiritual identity is a huge concept:

A. Some get their spiritual identity by “being good” and by keeping and enforcing rules.

B. Others get their spiritual identity from “being loved” and enjoy being loved by God and in turn loving others.

What are some of the differences in behavior and attitudes between the two groups?

6. What did the man with the withered hand have to do in order to be healed?  What does this tell us about the nature of faith?

7. Read Luke 6:12 – What did Jesus do before choosing the Twelve? What is the place of sustained prayer?

8. Read Luke 6:13-16 and Matthew 10:1-4 – as in many cultures some of the disciples had two names. See if you can figure out who is who!

9. What is an apostle? What spiritual authority do they have? What does Jesus send them out to do?  (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:5,8, 2 Corinthians 12:12)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 6:17-36   -   Kingdom Principles

1. Read Luke 6:17-19 – This is often called “The Sermon On The Plain” because it is very much like the Sermon On The Mount – what is the context in these three verses? What is happening and where? How are the people different? (Matthew 4:23-5:1)

2. Power “dunamis” (as in dynamo) was coming out of Jesus (v. 19) and healing many people. Have you ever sensed the power of God in a way like this?

3. Read v. 20 - Why do the poor inherit the Kingdom while the rich find it very difficult to enter? (Matthew 19:23,24). Why did so many early Christians give away their possessions? (Acts 2:45)

4. In v. 21 Jesus uses the future to indicate the Kingdom “you will be filled… you will laugh”. How is the Kingdom of God partly here and partly “yet to come”? How will it compensate for the terrible injustices of this life? (Luke 18:25)

5. The list of corrected injustices continues in verses 22 and 23.  How is our reputation on earth very different from our reputation in Heaven? Why is this the case? (1 John 5:19, John 16:11, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 2:2)  How does this affect the role of the Church in society?

6. In verses 24 through 26 Jesus then utters a series of “woes”.  “Woe unto those..”  What does this signify? (Woe = great affliction, grief, distress, lamentation).  How do these utterances stand in stark contrast to the prosperity gospel and to its preachers?

7. Read Luke 6:27-30 – These verses stand at the heart of the gospel and are part of the radical nature of the Kingdom teaching of Jesus. How can they be put into practice?

8. We find the Golden Rule in verse 31, how has it changed Western society over time? Does it need to be taught more often? How has it had an impact on your own life?

9. Jesus clearly expects those in the Kingdom to be spiritually different (verses 32-34) and a complete contrast to the world.  Why do Christians sometimes forget this aspect of the Christian life?

10. What are the big reasons that Jesus gives for why we should be spiritually different? (v. 35-36)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 6:37-49 -  Contrasts

In this section Jesus uses a literary technique known as juxtaposition – putting two things together so they clash and contrast and highlight each other’s meanings.

1. Read Luke 6:37-39 – What is the main principle how do the other examples serve to illustrate the main principle / spiritual law?

2. A spiritual rule of thumb is that: God will treat you in the exact same way that you treat other people in your life, especially those whom you have power over.  (Matthew 18:21-35, 1 Peter 3:7)

3. How does God treat people who are kind and generous? (Ps. 112:5-9, Prov. 14:21, 19:17)

4. Read Luke 6:39-42 – Here the one metaphor (blindness) ends up teaching not one but two different spiritual principles, what are they? There is also a third principle that Luke threw in between the two others, what is it?

5. How are a) spiritual blindness  b) leadership issues and c) over-critical thinking affecting God’s Church?

6. Luke 6:43-45 teaches us two really big principles for spiritual discernment, what are they?

7. How are the inner person and the outer results correlated?

8. How does obedient living produce a stable life? What is the difference between merely hearing and diligently obeying?

9. Combine all the principles above and figure out how you can live a very blessed life.

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 7:1-17 - Two Great Miracles

In this study two miracles reveal a great deal about how Jesus operated during His earthly ministry.

1. What was Jesus’ reaction to the centurion?  (Luke 7:9)

2. What was it about the centurion that caused Jesus to say this? (Luke 7:6-8)

3. How did the centurion’s understanding of authority contribute to his faith? (Luke 7:8)

4. What is “great faith” like?  Why is Jesus always on the lookout for faith?

5. What was the moral character of the centurion? (Luke 7:1-5) How was his general character reflected in his faith?

6. What was Jesus’ motivation in raising the widows’ son? (Luke 7:13,14)

7. What was the spiritual outcome? (Luke 7:15-17) how can miracles spread the gospel?

8. What did Jesus say? (Luke 7:14) How does this contribute to our understanding of the use of command authority in doing miracles?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 7:18-35 - John The Baptist

John the Baptist and how most people react to prophetic voices in their culture, see also Matt 11:9-14

1. Luke 7:18-23 – What is the question?  And how does Jesus answer it? What is “proof” to Jesus?

2. Luke 7:24-26 – How was John both a prophet and more than a prophet?

3. Luke 7:27 – How was John the Baptist “a messenger who prepares the way..”

4. Luke 7:28 – What does Jesus say here that is highly unusual and how can it be explained?

5. Luke 7:29,30 – How did the Pharisees “reject God’s plan for themselves?”

6. Luke 7:31,32 – What are people like who fail to respond to a very clear spiritual message?

7. Why are so few people highly responsive to God?

8. How did the negative nay-sayers respond differently to John the Baptist and to Jesus?

9. What do you think is meant by verse 35?  (See also Prov. 8:32-36)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 7:36-50 - Forgiveness

A sinful woman in a Pharisees house breaks a jar of oil over Jesus and is forgiven.

1. Luke 7:36-50 Read the whole story, what is its theme?

2. What is the brief parable Jesus uses to make His theological point? (Luke 7:41,42, 47)

3. Luke 7:50 – How does faith save us?   See also Habakkuk 2:4, Ephesians 2:8-10

4. How did the woman express her faith in Jesus? Did she make any doctrinal statement?

5. Was her expression of faith “socially acceptable”?

6. Luke 7:44-47 – How does Jesus contrast Simon the Pharisee with the unnamed woman?

7. Luke 7:39 – What was  the Pharisee’s objection to Jesus?

8. What was the objection of those at the table with Jesus (Luke 7:49)

9. How messy is the process of salvation and redemption (sometimes)?

10. Why do you think some people have a very lukewarm love of God? (Luke 7:47)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 8:1-21- People Responding To God

1. Read Luke 8:1-3 –  How did the disciples respond to God? How did the wealthy women respond to God? What events in their lives caused them to respond this way? (See also Luke 7:47)

2. Read Luke 8:4-15 –  How do the four different soils/hearts respond to God’s Word? How does this relate back to verses 1-3?

3. Luke 8:13 – What is the danger of shallow Christianity?  Why do so many people like “shallow” forms of faith? Why do we need to think deeply about our faith?

4. Luke 8:9,10 – Why did Jesus teach in parables? How do small puzzles like parables and proverbs sort out the spiritually responsive from the spiritually unresponsive?

5. Luke 8:16-18 –  Why does Jesus tell us to “listen carefully”? How exactly do we do that?

6. Luke 8:19-21 –  Who are the true relatives of Jesus?  How does this relate back to the idea of “listening carefully”?

7. Does being a blood relation to Jesus confer any spiritual advantage? See also 2 Cor. 5:14-17

8. What does it mean to be a true follower of Jesus, in the Spirit?

9. Try and think of 4 things that stop us from truly following Jesus as a spiritually responsive person?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 8:22-39 - The Missions Trip To Hell

Going there was rough. Encountering Legion was even worse!

1. Read Luke 8:22-25 and Mark 4:35-41 – The disciples set out on their missions trip to the other side of Lake Galilee which was culturally quite different. What happens? Why can even starting out to do God’s work be so tough?

2. What does Jesus do to the storm and what does this tell us about Him? How might the storm be connected to the later events with Legion?

3. How did Jesus respond to their panic? What did He say? What kind of faith did Jesus expect them to have?  Can you be an effective Christian leader (apostle) if you panic in a crisis?

4. Luke 8:26-39 and Mark 5:1-20 – What was the spiritual state of Legion? How did it change? How long did it take to change?

5. What did the demons make Legion do? Did they give him any special strength or powers? How many were inside Legion?  What do these things tell us about the nature of demons?

6. What were the demons afraid of and what did they demand?  What did they say about Jesus? How do spiritual beings recognize one another?

7. What happened to the pigs?  How do demons create disordered states of consciousness?  How many pigs were there and what does this tell us about how many demons were present?

8. Read Luke 8:34-37 – What was the reaction of the townsfolk?  What was it that frightened them?

9. Read Luke 8:38,39 – What was Legion’s reaction?  What did Jesus tell him to do instead?

10. Give your evaluation of this missions trip to the other side of the lake?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 8:40-56   The Undefiled Savior

Jesus is ritually defiled (twice) but keeps His power! No kryptonite!

1. Read Luke 8:40-56 – Both miracles involve Jesus being ritually unclean because:

a) he was touched by a woman with an issue of blood (v44, Lev 15:25-27) and

b) because he touched a dead body (v. 54, Numbers 19:11).

What does this tell us about Jesus?

2. Who would be considered “unclean” in today’s society?

How do we minister to “those whom most consider least”?

3. How desperate was Jairus? (v. 40-42) How urgent was the need?

4. How desperate was the woman (v.43,44)?  How did Jesus reconcile meeting BOTH urgent needs?

5. What healed the woman? (v.48) and the daughter of Jairus (v.50)?

6. What was Jesus’ exhortation to Jairus and how is it good spiritual advice?

7. What was the reaction of the disciples when Jesus asked “who touched Me”? What does this tell us about how faith touches God?

8. Read Luke 8:51-55, what was Jesus’ healing procedure here? What does Luke emphasize?

9. What parts of the story tell us that the little girl really was deceased?  (v.52-56)

10. How is the ministry of Jesus quite different from that of an Old Testament priest?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 9:1-22 Who Is Jesus?

Jesus reaches the peak of His popularity and everyone wants to know who He is.

1. Read Luke 9:1-6 & Matthew 10:1-15 - What stands out to you about this passage?  What was radical early Christianity like?

2. How did the Twelve get their spiritual authority? What were they to do with it? (v.1) How did the disciples respond (v6.)

3. What was the ministry “business plan” for the evangelization of Israel?

4. What were they to do in towns/areas that rejected the gospel?

5. How did King Herod react to hearing about all the miracles and healings?  How far had the news about Jesus gone into Jewish society?

6. Read Luke 9:10 -17 - What does the “feeding of the five thousand” tell us about how popular Jesus was? What is the message of the miracle?  (Why is it in all 4 gospels?)

7. Read Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-43, John 6:1-15 - how do these accounts of the feeding of the five thousand agree? How do some accounts have additional interesting details?

8. Read Luke 9:18-22 - Now everyone has a “theory about Jesus” – what were the main theories out there? But what was the truth?

9. Read Matthew 16:13-28  - What is the connection between the “realization” (Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God) and the “rejection” (at the hands of the scribes and Pharisees and elders).  How are the powerful religious interests going to react to the Messiah?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 9:23-43   A Time of Great Glory

The disciples cross, the Transfiguration, the power of faith

1. Read Luke 9:23-27, Matthew 10:32-38, John 12:24-26   How strict are the demands of discipleship? What are some practical aspects of this?

2. What are some aspects of the disciples cross?  Romans 6:6-11, 8:12, 13; Galatians 2:20, 6:14

3. How easy is it to compromise so that you “gain the world but lose your soul”?

4. Read Luke 9:28-36 and Matthew 17:1-8   What does the Transfiguration tell us about who Jesus is?  How much power was in Him even while on earth?

5. Read John 1:1-14, Colossians 1:15-20 and Philippians 2:5-11 How is Jesus both fully God and fully Man?

6. What does the Transfiguration tell us about a) whether the dead have consciousness, and b) the nature of the relationship between the physical and spiritual realms? Did Moses enter the Promised Land?

7. Read 1 Peter 1:16-21  What was wrong with Peter’s (initial) very traditional religious reaction? How do we see it in Catholicism today? (e.g. Lourdes, Guadalupe etc.) What did Peter later think of the Transfiguration?

8. Read Luke 9:37-43  Mark 9:14-29   This is a power encounter between Jesus and a very stubborn demon.  The disciples fail the power encounter but Jesus quickly triumphs. What was the key to success? What does Jesus mean by ‘all things are possible to him who believes’?  (Mark 9:23)

9. How has the life of this child and his family been ruined by demonic powers? How do demons try to wreck the lives of believers and how stubborn and determined are they? How can we resist them? (Ephesians 6:10-21, James 4:7)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 9:44-62   Radical Christianity & Ego Problems

Jesus heads towards the Cross at the height of His popularity and makes some of His toughest statements about the cost of discipleship.

1. Read Luke 9:44-45 – What did Jesus say? What was the reaction? How can Christians sometimes completely fail to understand an absolutely clear teaching?

2. Luke 9:46-48, Mark 9:33-37, 10:42-45, & Matthew 23:11,12 – Who is the greatest in the Kingdom? Who is the least?

3. Luke 9:49, 50, Mark 9:38-40 – How does Jesus stop the spirit of fame, control, and of trying to “own” God’s work? How is God’s work NOT an exclusive club?

4. Read Luke 9:51-56 in a variety of translations e.g. a modern one and the KJV.  Also Luke 6:27-31 – This strange incident has many lessons to teach us. Do you think that fame had made the disciples big-headed, violent and controlling?  What is wrong with their idea of calling down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans?  Does it come from the flesh or from the Spirit? How is it typical of a “religious spirit”?

5. Read Luke 9:57-58 – Why did Jesus say that he “had no place to rest His head” when He clearly had a house back in Capernaum? Where was he heading to? What had just happened in the previous verses? What is Jesus’ journey about? What is the “follow me” challenge to the eager disciple?

6. Read Luke 9:59-60 – What is the “follow me” challenge here?  (“Bury my father” might have meant “wait until my father dies so I can finish my financial obligation to my parents”). What did Jesus tell him to do?  How are we to spread the Good News?

7. Read Luke 9:61-62, 17:31-32, 1 Kings 19:19-21, Hebrews 10:38  – What is the “follow me” challenge here? How can we end up like “Lot’s wife?” fit, suitable = euthetos = well-adjusted, wholly suited for, so not suitable means is a “misfit” for the work of God. How do Christian workers who continually look back at their “successful past career” end up eventually being unsuitable for the gospel? How is this an ego correction?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 10:1-24   The Sending of the Seventy

Jesus heads towards the Cross at the height of His popularity and makes some of His toughest statements about the cost of discipleship.

1. Read Luke 10:1,2 – What did Jesus say about the Harvest? How can we pray that God sends people out from our churches?

2. Luke 10:3-9 – Jesus sends them out “as lambs among wolves” but with divine protection and supply.  Contrast this with Luke 22:35-38 – what changed?

3. Luke 10:5-8 – What are the rules of missionary hospitality here?

4. Luke 10:9 – How was healing a part of the gospel message? How do we see Jesus and the apostles demonstrating this?

5. Read Luke 10:10-16 – What would be the consequences if a town rejected the gospel message after seeing healings and miracles?

6. Read Luke 10:17-20 – What authority did the disciples discover that they had? What happens to Satan’s Kingdom when the gospel is preached with power?

7. Read Luke 10:20 – What is even more important than having gospel power? What should be our grounds for rejoicing?

8. Read Luke 10:21, 22 – Who does the Father reveal gospel truth to? What is the relationship between the Father and the Son?

9. Luke 10:23, 24 – Why were the disciples exceptionally blessed?  Why are spiritual experiences so important and such a great blessing?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 10:25-42 – Good Samaritan, Mary & Martha

Jesus defines both practical love and spiritual priorities.

1. Read Luke 10:25-37  – who are in dialogue here? What is the argument about?

2. What is Jesus’s final punch line (v.37)?  How would this jolt an academic lawyer?

3. Who is our neighbor?  (The answer is not as simple as you think!)

4. What does loving God look like? (1 John 3:16-18,  James 2:15,16)

5. What did the priest and the Levite do? In our media-saturated and very needy world how easy is it to do this?

6. What caused the Samaritan to stop and help? (v. 33)

7. What immediate actions did the Samaritan take? How did he inconvenience himself? (v.34)

8. How did the Samaritan “refer” the injured man to the innkeeper in a way that made sure the injured man would receive good treatment? (v.35)

9. Read Luke 10:38-42 about Mary and Martha.  What is the main point? How can we get distracted “doing” things for God?

10. How does the Mary/Martha story act as a correction to activism of the parable of the Good Samaritan?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 11:1-13 – Prayer

Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray.

1. Read Luke 11:1-13 & Matthew 6:6-16 -  What are some of the main differences? Similarities?

2. Why do Christians pray to “Our Father which is in Heaven..” ?

3. How would society be changed by a full and complete answer to “Thy Kingdom come!”?

4. Why is forgiveness an essential part of a good prayer life?

5. What is the main point of the parable of the Impudent Friend at Midnight? (also Luke 11:5-8)

6. Luke 11:9,10 is very well known. What are some of its key points? How can we apply it?

7. How would Luke 11:11-13 have reassured early Christians just after Pentecost?

8. In all of these examples the person praying is “seeking something from God.” What sort of things should we seek God for? (1 John 5:14,15)

9. What has been your main “take-away” from these bible passages?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 11:14-36 – Responding To The Light

Hearers of Jesus react in vastly different ways to the gospel.

1. Read Luke 11:14-23 and Matthew 12: 24-30 – Beelzebub means “Lord of the Flies”.  Flies accompanied dead bodies on the battlefield and indicated death, war, and evil destruction. It is also a case of onomatopoeia; a word sounding like what it represents Baal (demon lord), Zebub (flies).

What was the reaction to the healing of the man who was mute?

2. Why do you think the Pharisees said that Jesus was using demonic power? How grievous a sin was this? (Mark 3:28-30)

3. What was Jesus’ response? Luke 11:20-23  Who is the “strong man”?

4. Read Luke 11:24-28 – What happens when a person does not follow through and live an obedient life after being delivered from a demon? Also how do verses 27,28 affect our view of Mary?

5. Read Luke 11:29-32 – What is the “sign of Jonah”? (see Matthew 12:40)

6. What did Jesus say would be the fate of those who persisted in unbelief after seeing all His miracles, signs and wonders? (Luke 11:31,32)

7. Luke 11:33-36 talks about our “internal light”, how can someone have a “darkened soul”?

8. How should Christians respond when God turns up in unusual and unexpected ways?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 11:37-54 – Jesus Rebukes Toxic Religion

Jesus insults the Scribes and Pharisees and their inhuman, institutionalized hypocrisy.

1. Read Luke 11:37-54 and Matthew 23:23-36 comment on the “tone” of the passage. Is it anything like most preaching today?  What did Jesus think was more important – truth or tact?

2. Read Luke 11:37-41 – What didn’t Jesus do?  How did this offend the Pharisee? What was Jesus’ response?  What can we do to be clean within?

3. Read Luke 11:42 – What was wrong with the priorities of the Pharisees? Where do we see similar attitudes today?

4. Read Luke 11:43,44 – Jesus gets fairly personal and pointed here. What does He accuse the Pharisees of being like?

5. Read Luke 11:45,46 – What is the problem with “lecturing, nagging and advising” rather than actually helping others out? How were the Scribes/lawyers a burden to society?

6. Read Luke 11:47,48 & Luke 23:29-33 – How did Jesus blast the religious traditionalism of the Scribes?

7. Read Luke 11:49-51 – What would this lead to? What is the final result of being spiritually hard?

8. Read Luke 11:52 – How were the lawyers “taking away the key of knowledge” from those trying to enter the Kingdom of God?

9. Read Luke 11:53,54 – Did the Scribes and Pharisees repent?  How did they react to the teachings of Jesus?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 12:1-12 -  Living Boldly as a Transparent Christian

Dealing with the fear of man and the fear of persecution. How to live transparently as a Christian

1. Read Luke 12:1 What is “the leaven of the Pharisees”?  The word “hypocrite” means “under the mask” and it means someone like a Greek actor or role-player. Why do some religious people wear masks (not literal masks, but rather masks of their personality)?

2. Read Luke 12:2-3   What will happen to the sinful secrets of people who attempt to live in darkness while pretending that they are actually in the light? Why should Christians be spiritually transparent?

3. Read Luke 12:4-5  Who are we NOT to fear?   Rather who are we to fear instead – and why? What is the “fear of God”?

4. Read Luke 12:6-7    How much does God care for Creation and for you? How valuable are we? How should this help our level of anxiety during times of stress and persecution?

5. Read Luke 12:8-9  and Romans 10:9-13   How important is publicly confessing Christ? What happens to those who deny Christ?

6. Read Luke 12:10 and Matthew 12:22-32   What is the sin against the Holy Spirit?  How is it related to how the Pharisees viewed the miracles of Jesus?  What had happened to their consciences?

7. Read Luke 12:11-12, Luke 21:12-14  and Matthew 10:17-20  Why are we not to be afraid or anxious about our defense if we are put on trial for our faith?

8. Read Matthew 5:10-12, John 15:20, Galatians 4:29 and 2 Timothy 3:12   What is to be our attitude towards Christian persecution?

9. Read Matthew 5:44, Romans 12:14, 1 Peter 2:23, 3:9 and 1 Corinthians 4:12  How should we react if we are persecuted for Christ’s sake?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 12:13-34   Jesus’ Attitude To Materialism

The key phrase here is:  “For a man’s life does not consist of the abundance of his possessions.” (v. 15)

1. The billionaire Howard Hughes is a classic example of someone who was very wealthy but who had no peace and no spiritual “life”, a person who was “dead within”. List some of the contrasts between God and Mammon.

2. Poverty, on the other hand is always treated as evil in the Bible, as something to be avoided and overcome, something to be relieved by the generosity of the righteous or eradicated by a merciful, good and righteous government that allows the poor to prosper.  Why is poverty so evil?  (Proverbs 30:7-9, 19:4,7)

3. Read Luke 12:13-15 – What was the request and what was Jesus’ response? What are we to be on guard against?

4. Read Luke 12:16-21 – What was wrong with the Rich Fool?  What does it mean to “be rich towards God”?

5. Read Luke 12:22-26 – Jesus tells us to avoid financial anxiety by taking a Heavenly perspective. What is Jesus’ reasoning here?  What is the Providence of God? How does this teaching imply that God is in control of everything?

6. Should we have a budget? Can we just go out, spend whatever we like on credit cards “without worrying”, and expect God to fix it? Why are we not to test the Lord our God (Matthew 4:5-7)?  Faith, responsibility and wisdom are all good things but how do they fit together? What is “my stuff to do” and what is “God’s stuff to do”?

7. Read Luke 12:27-30 – Can you feel the kindness in Jesus’ voice? What is He telling us here? Where does He want our faith to grow?

8. Read Luke 12:31,32 – What is the Kingdom? Why are we to seek it? What happens when we seek it? Why does God give it to us?

9. Read Luke 12:33,34 – How are earthy treasure and eternal treasure linked? Which treasure are we to treasure?

10. Jesus tells us to “sell our possessions and give to the poor”, how did the early church implement this? Acts 2:43-47, 4:32-37

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 12:35-59 Being A Faithful Steward In The End Times

This dialogue uses familiar first-century language about servants, masters and settling accounts to indicate how we should lead holy lives in the light of God’s certain justice.

1. Read the whole of Luke 12:35-59 and note the “big ideas” that stand out, what are they?

2. How can we fit together the two ideas of A) totally free saving grace and B) rewards and punishments for how we live after we are saved? (See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 , 2 Corinthians 5:9-11, Hebrews 12:22-29)

3. Read Luke 12:35-40 – What are the attitudes and the dispositions of a Good Servant?

4. Luke 12:39,40 – When is Jesus returning (in the eyes of the world)?

5. Luke 12:41-48 – How did Jesus teach Peter about how Christian workers (even the apostles) would be rewarded?  What are some of the principles (of how we will be judged) here?

6. Why is Jesus so tough on lazy people e.g. the 1-talent servant?

7. Luke 12:49-53 – How does the anointing bring division?

8. Luke 12:54-56 – Why does Jesus want Christians to be spiritually sensitive to world events?

9. Luke 12:57-59 – Some people want to live loosely for as long as they can then do a death-bed repentance. Why should we settle things with the Lord right now?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 13:1-17   Living In A Fallen World

We live in a broken and fallen world. We are by nature “part of the problem” only by repentance can we become “part of the solution”. After repentance, we must live a life that is consistent with being part of the solution. Jesus has the power to fix the deep brokenness of the world.

1. Read Luke 13:1-5 – What does Jesus tell us about the moral cause of human tragedy? What does it mean to live in a fallen world?

2. What is the state of the human condition? Who needs to repent?  Do respectable people need to repent?

3. Read Luke 13:6-9 – What does “cut it down” indicate? Why would the tree be cut down? How are mercy and judgement intertwined?

4. Read Luke 13:7-14 – What does it mean to “bear the fruit of repentance”?

5. Read Luke 13:10-13 – What was the miracle that occurred?  Did the woman ask Jesus to heal her? Did the woman do anything especially good?  Why did the Lord heal her? What was the cause of her affliction (v. 11)?

6. The first part of this chapter says that bad things happen to average folk without an obvious moral reason; and then these verses say that good things happen to us also without an obvious moral reason (we don’t have to be especially good to be healed). How does this contradict what most folk believe? How does this relate to the book of Job?

7. Read Luke 13:14-17 – Why was the leader of the synagogue so indignant? What was Jesus’ response? How was the synagogue leader being “part of the problem”?

8. How do you think the woman felt after a) being healed by Jesus b) being called a daughter of Abraham and c) to some extent being publicly defended by Jesus?

9. What was Jesus’ attitude toward the Sabbath? (Matthew 12:1-13, Mark 2:23-28)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 13:18-35     The Narrow Way

As Jesus approaches Jerusalem, His tone becomes more stern and prophetic.

1. Read Luke 13:18-21 – What are the common themes between the two parables of the mustard seed and the yeast? How does the Kingdom of God grow?

2. What are the differences between imperial religion and mustard-seed Christian faith?

3. How can Christians influence and transform the surrounding culture?

4. Read Luke 13:22-30 – Where was Jesus visiting? What was his final destination? What was the purpose of this journey? (v. 22,33) What is the key question? (v.23)

5. Is there a time when salvation will become impossible? (v. 24,25) So what should we do now? In addition, what does this tell us about the urgency of evangelism?

6. Who is left outside and why? (v.26,27 and Matthew 7:22,23 and 25:12)  What does it mean to know God and to be known by God?

7. “Many of the first shall be last…..”  (see Matthew 19:28-30, 20:1-16) What is the difference between our reasoning of reward and God’s allocation of rewards?

8. Read Luke 13:31-33 – Why was Jesus undeterred by the death threats of Herod and the Pharisees? (See Mark 3:6, 8:15, 12:13)

9. Read Luke 13:34, 35 – What is Jesus’ attitude toward impenitent Jerusalem?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 14:1-14 - Do Something For Those Who Cannot Repay You

Obeying a commandment of Jesus initiates a dynamic spiritual process in us, which advances our sanctification and produces the image of God in us.

1. Read Luke 14:1-6 – The Healing of The Man With Dropsy (edema from a heart condition) – What is Jesus’ argument about the Sabbath?

2. Why is legalism so often contradictory to common-sense and compassion? How do we find this pettiness in modern bureaucracy? How does it affect our society?

3. How do legalists marginalize and devalue the weak and the infirm?

4. Read Luke 14:7-11 – The Parable of the Wedding Feast. What is Jesus’ main point here? (v.11)

5. What dynamic spiritual processes are initiated in us when we take the lowest place instead of the highest place?

6. How does radical humility change us more and more into the image of God?

7. Read Luke 14:12-14  – The Banquet For The Poor  - What is Jesus saying to His audience and how radical would that idea have been at that time?

8. What dynamic spiritual processes are initiated in us when we show hospitality to marginalized people who cannot ever repay us? When do we get repaid?

9. How does radical hospitality and kindness change us more and more into the image of God?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 14:15-35    Full Commitment

1. Read Like 14:15-35  – There are 3 major commitments spoken of in these verses:

a) Commitment to the King (and to participation in His Kingdom)

b) Commitment to the Cross and the cost of discipleship and

c) Commitment to moral purity and distinctiveness

How do these three commitments work together to form us spiritually?

What happens if any of them are lacking?

2. Read Luke 14:15-24 – What is the point of this parable? Why does spiritual apathy lead to rejection by God?  What does it mean to be committed to the King and to His will?

3. Read the parallel passage in Matthew 22:1-14, what additional details does Matthew have?

4. Read Luke 14:25-33 (hate = lower priority) Why is Jesus so demanding? (See Luke 5:11, 18:22)

5. What happens when we try to stay in the old life while pursuing the Kingdom of God? )?  Can we be both Christian and covetous? (Acts 5:1-11, Colossians 3:5)

6. What is the Disciples Cross (renunciation) and how is it different from the Cross of Christ (redemption)?

7. Read Luke 14:34,35 – What does it mean to be a salty Christian? (see also Matthew 5:13, Mark 9:49-50. Colossians 4:6)

8. What is Jesus’ evaluation of compromised Christians who have no impact on their world?

9. There is a lot of talk of spiritual rejection by God in today’s reading. This at first may seem harsh, however faith leads to commitment, and the absence of commitment is a sign of an absence of true saving faith.  How does this clash with the idea that just “praying a prayer” (without any further lifestyle change) is sufficient for salvation?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 15:1-10 - The Lost and the Penitent

1. Read Luke 15:1-10 and Luke 19:1-10  - how are these passages related?

2. When are people like Zacchaeus spiritually lost?   What does it mean to “lose one’s way in life”? What does it mean to be a “sinner”?

3. What action does a sinner have to take in order to stop being spiritually lost?

4. How does Heaven react when a sinner undergoes genuine repentance? How did the crowd react when Zacchaeus repented?

5. What is the difference between genuine repentance like that of Zacchaeus and shallow religious emotion?

6. Why does the shepherd seek out the lost sheep? (Luke 15:3-7, 19:10) How did Jesus seek out Zacchaeus?

7. How does the woman with the lost coin react? Is she casual or diligent? How important is one lost coin? How does this apply to lost people? Why then do some people devalue sinners?

8. What are some actions that Christians can take in order to seek out the lost?

9. How did Jesus treat tax collectors and sinners? How do we associate with sinners without being dragged into their sin?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 15:11-32     The Prodigal Son

1. Read Luke 15:11-32  What is the main point of this parable (verse 32)? How does this fit in with what we learned in verses 1 -10?  When is it appropriate to celebrate?

2. How does our sense of “fairness” get in the way of our ability to celebrate God’s love?

3. Why do you think “salvation by faith alone, through grace alone” offends so many people (e.g. Jews and Catholics)? See Ephesians 2:8,9.

4. How did the Prodigal Son end up in this huge mess?

5. What happened to his inheritance (v. 12-15)? Did he get it back (v. 30,31)?  How does sin devour our spiritual inheritance? (Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 5:5, Hebrews 12:12-17, 2 Cor 5:10)

6. How can someone be saved and yet have no inheritance in Heaven? (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

7. What got the Prodigal Son out of the mess? Why is it important for some people to hit rock bottom?

8. What was the Father’s reaction to the return of the Prodigal Son?

9. What was the Father’s promise to the obedient elder son? (v. 31)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 16:1-17  The Love of Money

Jesus is being incredibly cynical and blunt here. He is talking about people going into eternal Hell because of their dishonesty and their love of money. The rich man (God) casts them out and so they make friends of the others who love unrighteousness so that when they “fail” (go to Hades) they may have some friends there in the eternal habitations (of darkness).

God = Rich Man to whom we give account

Unjust Steward = someone who fails on Judgment Day

Eternal Habitations = Hades

Unrighteous Mammon = a spiritual principality in Hades governing money

Shrewd = self-preserving, clever

Those Owing The Master = other sinners who go along with the crooked scheme, children of this world

Sons of Light = Christians, honest good people

1. Read Luke 16:1-2 – What sort of trouble was the unjust steward in?

2. What was his scheme and his objective? (Luke 16:3-7)

3. What was the bosses’ strange response? (v.8) and how are worldly people “wiser in this generation” yet foolish in eternal matters?

4. What is the difference between “sons of this world” and “sons of light”?

5. Why is v.9 incredibly sarcastic? Did the Pharisees detect the sarcasm (v.14)

6. How is financial integrity a measure of our spirituality? (v. 10-12)

7. What does Jesus tell us about God’s view of money? (v.13-15)

8. Read v. 16-17 – When did the Law and the Prophets apply until?

9. Will unfulfilled prophecies “fail” because of the change of eras? (v.17

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 16:18-31  Divorce and Hell

Explaining verse 18:  The divorce statement hinges around the word “and” implying Harry divorces Susie in order to then marry Annie. Or Harry divorces Susie because she is seeing Fred so Susie then quickly marries Fred.  This was common in Jewish culture where fast divorce was the norm. Both situations are clearly adultery

1. Read Luke 16:18   How is divorce often against God’s will? How often is adultery involved as a primary factor in divorce?

2. Read Luke 16:19-31  What is the scenario here? What does it tell us about the nature of the afterlife? How does the afterlife compensate for this life? Why is there a Great Chasm?

3. In the Jewish point of view who in this story, would be generally thought of as blessed, and who would be generally thought of as cursed?

4. How are the poor, the disabled and the less fortunate God’s thermometers, that judge the love temperature of our heart?

5. Is it true that God generally treats us just as we treat others? (e.g. blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy)?

6. Was Lazarus’ miserable life a result of God personally hating him?

7. Why is selfishness such a great sin?

8. How had the Rich Man dulled his conscience?  Why would the selfish ones not listen even if Lazarus had been raised from the dead?

9. Were the Jewish power brokers convinced when Lazarus was raised from the dead? (John 11:38-53)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 17: 1-19 - Miscellaneous

Luke seems to put a bunch of smaller interesting sayings and incidents together here.

1. Read Luke 17:1,2  & Matthew 18:1-9 - How serious is sin? How can we avoid causing others to sin? Why does Jesus emphasis the severity of causing children to sin?

2. Read Luke 17:3,4 & Matthew 18:15-17  - How are we to go about forgiving others? How do we adopt forgiveness as a lifestyle? And how do we reconcile this with the severity of sin in the preceding verses?

3. How can we protect ourselves from being abused by repeat offenders and at the same time forgive them? e.g. if someone keeps stealing your food at work….

4. Read Luke 17:5,6   - What is Jesus telling us about the nature of faith?

5. Read Luke 17:7-10 – What is Jesus saying about the nature of our service to God? What sin is Jesus attempting to prevent?

6. What happens to the human heart once we see ourselves as worthy of praise from God?

7. Read Luke 17:11-19  When were the lepers cleansed? How do miracles happen after we obey a puzzling command of God? How did the lepers demonstrate faith?  (Lepers normally showed themselves to the priest after they were cleansed Leviticus 14:1-3, Matthew 8:2-4)

8. What was the reaction of the Samaritan leper? How does thankful praise give glory to God?

9. What was Jesus’ response to the Samaritan leper? (Luke 17:17-19) How does faith result in healing (Luke 7:50, 8:48, 18:42; Matthew 9:22)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 17:20-37 - The Coming Of The Kingdom

The teaching of Jesus about the coming of the Kingdom and End Times Events!

1. Read Luke 17:20,21  -  How observable is the Kingdom of God  e.g. does it have a grand palace and an army? What does Jesus mean by “the Kingdom of God is in your midst”?

2. In the book of Revelation, we have two groups of people: the saints who worship Creator God and get martyred and the earth-dwellers who worship the image of the Beast and take the mark of the Beast. The saints do not have anything visible, not even cash. The earth-dwellers own the entire planet. Where is the Kingdom of God? What are some of the differences between these two groups and their eternal destinies?

3. Read Luke 17:22,23 – Why will the Kingdom be so elusive?

4. Read Luke 17:24,25   - How will Jesus return in power?

5. Read Luke 17:26-29 – Will everything “appear normal” to sinners in the End Times? How does God’s judgment arrive?

6. Why do people stop fearing God and become careless in sin? ( 2 Peter 3:3-7)

7. Read Luke 17:31-33  What is Jesus warning us to do on the day of Judgement? What is the urgency about? (see also Matthew 24:17-21)

8. Read Luke 17:34-36 and compare with 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 2 Peter 2:4-10

9. Read Luke 17: 37 and compare with Matthew 24:23-31 to get an accurate picture of the End Times events.

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 18:1-17   Simple Faith

A persistent widow, a Pharisee and a tax-collector, and a humble child.

1. Read Luke 18:1-7 about the judge who “feared neither God nor man”.  This is using the Hebrew logic of comparison.  Since God is far better than the wicked judge, and even a wicked judge answers persistent requests, then God will also answer persistent requests, and much more speedily. How is God a Judge? How is prayer an appeal to the Throne?

2. What did Jesus mean by “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

3. Why should we be persistent in prayer?

4. Read Luke 18:9-14 – What is the point of this parable? (see also James 4:6-10)

5. How does spiritual pride get in the way of true faith?

6. How is God merciful to sinners? How can we depend on this?

7. Read Luke 18:15-17, Matthew 19:11-13 & Mark 10:13-16. What is the main lesson here and how does it tie in with the previous parable?

8. What does it mean to come to God as a little child? Matthew 11:25, 18:1-5,  Psalm 131:1-2,  1 Peter 1:14

9. What is the difference between child-like faith and childish immaturity? (1 Corinthians 13:11, 14:20, Ephesians 4:14, Hebrews 5:13-14)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 18:18-43 – Following Jesus

A rich young ruler fails to follow Jesus but a blind beggar does!

Jesus is strong with the strong, and gentle with the weak.

1. Read Luke 18:18-27  - What does Jesus tell us about the salvation of “rich” people (those who have no obvious needs of any sort)?

2. The rich young ruler believed in God and obeyed His commandments, what kept him from the Kingdom?

3. Is Jesus’ commandment to sell everything binding on all Christians? How does God tell one person to do X and another person to do Y?

4. What does v. 27 mean? But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” ?

And how should we apply this saying, in this context?

5. How does the rich young ruler stand in stark contrast to the blind beggar later in the chapter?

6. Read verses 28-30 and Matthew 19:23-30 – what is the Lord’s promise to those who make sacrifices in His name?

7. Read Luke 18:31-34 – how does the prophecy of Jesus’ death connect with the other passages we have just discussed?

8. Read verses 35-43 -  How was the blind beggar persistent? How does this line up with the teaching on prayer earlier in Chapter 18? What did Jesus ask the beggar?

9. Read verses 42 and 43 – What caused the blind beggar to be healed? What did he do after he was healed?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 19:1-27 - The Two Comings Of The Kingdom of God

The first coming for salvation and the second coming for judgment and reward.

1. Read Luke 19:1-10   What was the purpose of Jesus’ first coming? (v. 10)

2. How did Zacchaeus repent? What does real repentance look like?  What made Zacchaeus get his act together so quickly?

3. How did the crowd react to Jesus staying with Zacchaeus and why did they react this way?

4. What was the basis for Jesus saying to the crowd: “Today, salvation has come to this house..” ?

5. Read Luke 19:11-27 and draw up a complete “cast list” of various characters in this long parable.

6. Who gets rewarded in the Kingdom? Who gets punished but seems to still be in the Kingdom? Who are cast out of the Kingdom and then get slaughtered?

7. Is the Kingdom of God a democracy? What happens to those who defy the Lordship of Jesus? See also Psalm 2, Psalm 21:8-13, Psalm 89:19-37

8. How does this parable contradict the popular expectations of the day that are found in Luke 19 verse 11?

9. What are some of the differences between the first and second comings of Jesus? (Matthew 13:36-43, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 19:28-48 – Jesus and Jerusalem

The triumphal entry, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, cleansing of the Temple

1. Read Luke 19:28-40, Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:1-11, Psalm 118:25,26 – what is the Triumphal Entry about?

2. How does the Old Testament foreshadow the New Testament?

3. Jesus gives a mysterious instruction to the disciples and they obey, He also does something similar before the Last Supper. (Luke 22:10-12)  What does this tell us about Jesus’ knowledge of the future?

4. Why did the disciples have to help Jesus get on the donkey? What is so unusual about this setup? Do we see Jesus riding a horse or donkey on other occasions?

5. What were the reactions of the disciples, the people and the Pharisees? (Luke 19:36-40)

6. Why did Jesus weep over Jerusalem? (Luke 19:41-44)

7. How does spiritual blindness lead to judgment? (v. 44)

8. Read Luke 19:45-46, Mark 11:15-17 and John 2:13-17  how does the cleansing of the Temple relate to Jesus being a prophet? How is it a symbolic action?

9. Read Luke 19:47,48  How did Jesus challenge the religious “principalities and powers” of His day?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 20:1-26 - Divine Authority vs. Human authority

We find out what happens when people challenge the authority of God and of the prophets.

1. Read Luke 20:1-8    Why did the Temple authorities question Jesus?

2. How did Jesus frame the question of authority? What is the difference between divine authority and human authority?

3. How does God often challenge human authority figures?

4. Read Luke 20:20-26 How does Jesus frame the authority question here? How does He handle the question of the legitimacy of taxation?

5. What happens when divine authority and human authority conflict? (Acts 5:25-30)

6. Read the parable of the Vineyard (Luke 20:9-19) and Isaiah 5:1-7 – What does the vineyard represent? How does this also tie in with John 15:1-8?

7. Who does the vineyard owner represent? Who do the messengers of the owner represent?  Who does the tenant farmers represent? Which is the legitimate authority? Which is the illegitimate / presumptuous authority? What happens to the tenant farmers?

8. How do the establishment figures react to the parable? (Luke 20:16,19)

9. How is God’s authority being resisted today?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 20:27- 47- The Spiritual World

1. Read Luke 20:27-39 & Matthew 22:23-33 & Acts 23:6-8   What was wrong with the Sadducees view of the spiritual world?  Also, what was wrong with their beliefs about women?

2. Read Exodus 3:6,15  How does Jesus refute them and which Bible verses does He use? Why is Jesus’ argument valid? How does historical context help us to understand Scriptural arguments?

3. Read Luke 20:34-36 & 1 Corinthians 15:39-55 - What will we be like in the Resurrection?

4. Read Luke 20:36-38  What will be the nature of our immortality?

5. Read Luke 20:41-44 and Psalm 110 (the most quoted OT passage in the N.T.). See Matthew 22:43-45, Acts 2:33-36, Hebrews 1:13 - why is this passage critical for a true understanding of Jesus?

6. What does it mean to be at the right hand of God? Acts 5:30-31, 7:55-56, Ephesians 1:20-22, Hebrews 1:3, 8:1, 10:12-13, 12:2, 1 Peter 3:21-22,

What does Jesus do for us there? Romans 8:34

And how does it affect us spiritually? Colossians 3:1, Revelation 3:21

7. What question did Jesus pose to the Scribes to prove that the Messiah was God and was not a mere human?

8. How was Jesus both the Lord of David, and the Son of God?

9. Read Luke 20:45-47 Why did Jesus warn the disciples about hypocritical and exploitative religious authority? What was going to happen to these religious figures?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 21:1-19  - The Coming Persecution

1. Read Luke 21:1-4, the story of the Widow’s Mite.  What is the lesson here?  What does God think of our giving?

2. How important is giving as part of the Christian life?

3. Read Luke 21:5-6  What did God think of the ornately decorated Temple? What was to be its fate? What does this say about church buildings?

4. What did Jesus say about the timing of the End? (Luke 21:7-9)

5. Does the End Times Persecution come before or after the signs in the Heavens? (Luke 21:10-12)

6. Read Luke 21:13 – What is the golden opportunity in the midst of persecution?

7. What special thing will God do for us if we are put on trial for our faith? (Luke 21:14-15)

8. There is a seeming contradiction in Luke 21:16-19 between “some of you will be put to death” and “but not a hair of your head will perish” – how can this be resolved?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 21:20-38  - The End Of The Age

1. Read Luke 21:20-24 – Were these verses fulfilled during the siege of Jerusalem (66AD to 70AD)? If so, what do they teach us today?

2. Why did wrath come upon the Jews? (Luke 21:23, 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16)

3. What are the “times of the Gentiles”? (Luke 21:24, Romans 11:25, Matthew 24:14)

4. Read Luke 21:25-28 – What happens after the times of the Gentiles are complete?

5. What is to be our attitude during the End Times? (Luke 21:28)

6. Read Luke 21:29-32  How will we know that the Kingdom of God is near?

7. How sure are the words and prophecies of Jesus? (Luke 21:33)

8. Read Luke 21:34-35  What attitude are we NOT to cultivate? Who will be affected by these events?

9. What attitude and habit are we to cultivate? (Luke 21:36) What are we trying to escape? What was Jesus’ teaching strategy? (Luke 21:37-38)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 22:1-23 - The Betrayal of Jesus

The complex plans of God are revealed.

1. Read Luke 22:1-2 – What was preventing the authorities from arresting Jesus?

2. Luke 22:3-6 – How did Judas solve their problem? What drove Judas to do this?

3. How can greed cause people to become demon-possessed? (1 Timothy 6:5-10, John 12:4-6, 13:2)

4. What is the relationship between sin and demon-possession e.g. with pedophiles?

5. How much effort did Judas put into the betrayal?

6. Read Luke 22:7-13  - How was God preparing the way for the Last Supper? Why so clandestine? How does God sometimes plan out all the details of our lives? Compare with Psalm 23:5

7. Read Luke 22:14-18 and Exodus 12:6  - When was the Passover Lamb slain? How was the Passover meal a prophecy about the Kingdom of God?

8. Luke 22:19-20 – What is the significance of the bread? The wine? What is a “remembrance”? How did the Hebrews “remember” events?

9. Luke 22:21-23, John 17:12 – What was the fate of Judas? How can someone fulfill prophecy and yet be doomed? Is this fair of God?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 22:24-38 - Just Before Gethsemane

1. Luke 22:24-27 Matthew 18:3-5; 23:8-12 – What were the disciples disputing about? How does Jesus address it? How is Jesus’ lifestyle consistent with His teaching? How are we then to lead?

2. What happens when pastors or other leaders become domineering?

3. Luke 22:28-30  – What is the promise of Jesus to those who stand with him in His trials? Why did Jesus give this promise to the disciples at this hour?

4. Luke 22:31-34 & Matthew 26:30-35 -  How does Jesus know when we are going to fail Him? How does he respond to our failures? What was the eventual outcome for Peter?

5. Why did Satan have to ask permission of Jesus? What does this tell us about some of our trials in this life?

6. How much of our life is determined by invisible forces and spiritual decisions in the heavenly realms? (think Job, Peter, Cornelius etc.)

7. Luke 22:35-38   How was the “time with Jesus” going to be different from “the time without Jesus”? What should be our attitude to God’s provision when times are tougher?

8. Should Christians plan ahead?

9. What should be the Christian’s attitude to security and self-defense in a precarious world?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 22:39-53   Jesus In The Garden of Gethsemane

How to cope in the midst of temptation, pressure and spiritual struggle.

1. Read Luke 22:39-42 –  What was Jesus’ advice to His followers? How does prayer help us with escaping from temptation?

2. What conflict was going on in Jesus at this time? (see also Matthew 26:36-46)  How is this a universal conflict?

3. Read Luke 22:43 – How do angels minister to us and strengthen us? How can they help us to endure spiritual struggles and conflicts?  (Hebrews 1:14, Daniel 10:16-19, 1 Kings 19:4-8)

4. Read Luke 22:42-46 – How intense was the spiritual struggle of Jesus? How did this contrast with the spiritual struggle of the disciples?

5. Read Hebrews 5:7-10 – What was the glorious outcome of this spiritual struggle of Jesus?

6. Read Luke 22:47-48 – What was Jesus’ response to Judas? What did it indicate about the character of Judas?

7. Note the “fight or flight” response of the disciples in Luke 22:49-51 and Matthew 26:52-56. What does this teach us about Jesus’ attitude toward violence? Why is violence generally NOT a good option in times of stress and threat?

8. Read Luke 22:52-53 – How does Jesus challenge the legality and legitimacy of the actions of those who came out against Him?

9. What does Jesus mean by “But this is your hour, and the power of darkness”?  How can the power of darkness come in like a flood for a short while? How does this remind us of the Tribulation? (Revelation 1:9, 14:12)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 22:54-71  Jesus Brought to Trial

Peter denies Christ out of fear, the soldiers mock Him, and the Sanhedrin condemns Him.

1. Read Luke 22:54-55  Who was Peter trying to inconspicuously hide amongst? How dangerous do you think this strategy was?  Have you ever felt that you were a Christian in totally the wrong place at absolutely the wrong time?

2. Read Luke 22:56   How did Peter get caught out?

3. Read Luke 22:57-60  How did Peter react to the fear of being discovered? How does fear affect our ability to be a consistent Christian? Have you ever been in an environment where you felt you needed to pretend to NOT be a Christian?

4. Finally Peter is discovered by Jesus (Luke 22:61-62) What is his reaction? Have you ever been so deeply ashamed of yourself that you “went out and wept bitterly”?

5. Read Luke 22:63-65 and Matthew 15:16-20   How did the jailers and soldiers treat Jesus? Why do cruel people often mock religion and those who practice it?

6. Read Luke 22:66-69    Was it a fair trial?  Were their minds already made up?  What was Jesus’ assessment of their receptivity to truth?

7. Luke 22:69 is a very important New Testament teaching that is based in the Messianic Psalm 110.  For instance, see Psalm 110:1, Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew 22:44, Acts 7:55-56; Romans 8:34, Hebrews 1:3, and many others.   If you have time, discuss these verses, and what they mean when it comes to the authority of Jesus.

8. Read Luke 22:70-71 and Matthew 26:63-64   How does Jesus’ reply offend the Sanhedrin?

9. How important is it to believe that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:5-20)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 23:1-12   Jesus Before Pilate and Herod

1. Read Luke 23:1-2  What are the accusations brought by the Sanhedrin members to Pilate? Why are they significant? What is their motive (Matthew 27:18-19)?

2. Read Luke 23:1-2  and John 18:33-37  What question does Pilate ask Jesus and how does Jesus reply ? Where is Jesus King? How does this apply to modern politics?

3. What is the historical significance of Jesus’ reply and how does it tie in to his genealogy?

4. What is Pilate’s initial finding? (v.4) See also Matthew 27:19

5. Read Luke 23:5-7  How does Pilate try to get rid of the vexing question of Jesus? What is his “political out”? How do you think Pilate was feeling?

6. How did Herod initially react to having Jesus sent to him for trial? (v.8) c.f. Luke 9:7-9

7. How did Jesus react to the questions that Herod asked and why do you think that Jesus acted that way? (v.9)  What was the atmosphere like? Who else was present?

8. What was Herod’s final judgement on Jesus? (verse 11)  How are power and contempt for God often linked?

9. What brought the warring politicians together? (v. 12)  What does this tell us about human nature? See also Revelation 17:13

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 23:13-31 -  Jesus On The Way To The Cross

1. Read Luke 23:13-17   What was the verdict of both Pilate and Herod (non-Jews) about Jesus?  Why do you think that Luke brings up this point?

2. Read Luke 23:18-25  How does the crowd get Pilate to go against his conscience? How many times did Pilate try to rescue Jesus? How can social pressure cause us to sin?

3. Who do they demand be released instead?  Do you think that Barabbas realized that he had been set free by the death of Jesus?  How is this an illustration of God’s grace and man’s wickedness at the same time?

4. Read Matthew 23:34-38 and 27:30-35 and 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16  How did these actions by the Jews doom the Jewish nation 40 years later?

5. What is the consequence of brazenly rejecting God’s Word through the prophets and through Christ?  Why should we pay close attention to our faith? (Hebrews 3:7-18)

6. Who was Simon of Cyrene? (Luke 23:36, Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21, Acts 13:1, Romans 16:13)

7. Luke 23:27  What was the reaction of many people in Jerusalem to this gross injustice?

8. Luke 23:28-31 What was Jesus’ reaction?  What did He prophesy?  How are people caught up in times of collective judgment? How does this challenge our very individualistic view of how God works?

9. Luke 23:31 – What does Jesus mean by this statement?  How does the spiritual climate affect the actions of people?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 23:32-43 - Jesus And The Two Thieves

1. Read Luke 23:32-33   What is going on? How does this fulfill prophecy? (Isaiah 53:12, Ps 109:4)?

2. Read Luke 23:34 – The first words of Jesus from the Cross?  Who is Jesus forgiving?

How can Jesus ask God the Father to forgive unrepentant people? (see also Acts 7:60)

3. Despite the compassion of Jesus, the soldiers did what?? See also Ps 22:18, Matthew 27:35,36; John 19:23,24

4. Compare Psalm 22:6-8, 109:25 with the events of Luke 23:35-37. How can demons speak through people and fulfill prophecy?  How can human free will be directed to this precise level of detail?

5. Compare Luke 23:38 with John 19:19-22, what is going on here? How does this also relate to the genealogy of Jesus? How does this relate to the initials INRI on the cruxifix? (Latin: Iēsus Nazarēnus, Rēx Iūdaeōrum)

6. Read Luke 23:39  - What is the attitude of the first thief?  Who was he thinking about (see the last two words)?

7. Read Luke 23:40-41 - What is the attitude of the second thief? What does it indicate?

8. Read Luke 23:42 – What does the second thief request of Jesus and how much faith would this take? Do you think that he received some kind of heavenly revelation into his spirit? Did he perhaps believe in the Resurrection? Was he baptized? What does this tell us about the requirements for basic salvation?

9. Read Luke 23:43 and 2 Corinthians 12:4 and Revelation 2:7  1 Peter 3:18-20  What did Jesus promise the second thief? What is Paradise? What places did Jesus go to after His death?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 23:44-56 The Death and Burial of Jesus

1. Read Luke 23:46 and Psalm 31:5, Acts 7:59  - What is happening here? How does the spirit separate from the body? (Ecclesiastes 12:7)

2. What is so revolutionary about Acts 7:59 – “Lord Jesus receive my spirit!” what does it tell us about Jesus?  (about a dozen different things)

3. Read Luke 23:47 and Matthew 27:54, Mark 15:39  - What was the reaction of the Centurion? Do you think he had ever seen anyone die the calm way that Jesus died? What does it mean to be righteous?

4. Read Luke 23:48-49  - How did the people feel? What was the immediate impact of Jesus’ death? Do you think they had a deep sense that something was terribly wrong with the Universe?

5. How do you react when there is a great and tragic injustice?

6. Read Luke 23:50-51 How is Joseph of Arimathaea described? What does it mean to “wait for the Kingdom of God”?

7. Read Luke 23:52-53 and Matthew 27:59-60  What did Joseph do for Jesus? He may have been Mary’s father’s (Cleopas) brother, and Jesus’s uncle and thus entitled to the body.  How did this fulfill prophecy? See Isaiah 53:9

8. Read Luke 23:54-56  What was the role of the women who followed Jesus?  Why were they at the grave?

9. Read Luke 23:56 How was the Sabbath observed by the women? What does this say about their faith?

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 24:1-12   The Resurrection

1. Read Luke 24:1-12 and 1 Corinthians 15:1-1  - how does Paul sort out the order of the resurrection appearances?

2. Why did the women see Jesus first and why is Mary Magdalene so important?

3. “Why do you seek the Living among the dead?”  (verse 5) What did the angels mean by this?

4. “He is not here, He is risen!” (verse 6) how was this both shocking news and good news?

5. “The first day of the week” that is Sunday, the day after the Sabbath. The N.T. does not use names for days or months because they were named after pagan Gods e.g. Thursday (Thor’s day) and Galatians 4:10 indicates this is quite important. Why do you think that it has lost its spiritual importance?

6. How did the disciples react?   Why did Peter run to the tomb?

7. What is the significance of the Resurrection for the Christian faith? (1 Corinthians 15:1-19)

8. When will we be resurrected? John 5:25-29, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8

9. What will our resurrection body be like? 1 Corinthians 15:35-55

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 24:13-32 – The Emmaus Road

1. Read Luke 24:13-19  - how does Jesus use questions to open up the two disciples to spiritual truth? Why were they “prevented from recognizing Him?” Why does God generally work in subtle ways rather than very evident ways?

2. Read Luke 24:19-24  -  What day was this? What was the disciples concern and disappointment?

3. How does Jesus react to their belief in “the failure of God”? (Luke 24:25-26)  How can we truly “believe in our hearts” the words of God? Why is faith so difficult?

4. Where did Jesus take them in order to develop their faith? (Luke 24:27, Romans 10:17, 1 Timothy 3:15-17, 1 Peter 1:23-25)

5. What is the result of correct Christ-centered Scriptural interpretation? (Luke 24:32)

6. What needs to happen before we can fully understand the Bible? (Luke 24:45, 1 Corinthians 2:12-16, Romans 12:1,2)

7. Read Luke 24:28-31 – What happens here? What do you think such fellowship with Jesus would be like?

8. Why does Jesus both bless and give thanks for food?  (Luke 22:17,19; 24:30, Matthew 15:36, 26:26, Mark 8:6)  What happens when He does?

9. How does prayer sanctify the common life? (2 Timothy 4:1-5, Colossians 2:20-23)

Bible Study In The Gospel of Luke

Luke 24:33-53 – Jesus Appears To The Disciples

( see also Acts 1:1-11, John 20:19-31 )

1. What did the disciples on the Emmaus Road do after Jesus disappeared from their sight? (Luke 24:33-35)

2. Read Luke 24:36-43 and John 20:19,20 – how do these passages confirm the physical reality of the resurrection body of Jesus?  Why did He still have the wounds of the Cross? How was Jesus still functional with those wounds in His hands, feet and side?

3. Read Luke 24:44 What was Jesus’ view of the Scriptures? How does that affect how Christians should view the Bible?

4. Read Luke 24: 45-47 – What is Jesus’ quick summary of the gospel?

5. How were the apostles to be witnesses? What were they to wait for in Jerusalem? How does this apply to us? (Acts 1:4-8, Luke 24:47-49)

6. Read John 20:21-23  – What additional details does the apostle John add to the story of how we are to be God’s witnesses?

7. Matthew also adds another set of instructions in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-20), and Luke and Paul mention many resurrection appearances (Acts 1:3, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8). What picture or impression do you get from this?

8. What is the Ascension (Acts 1:9-11, Luke 24:50-51) and why was it necessary (Acts 2:32-36, Ephesians 4:7-13 especially v. 10)?

9. Where is Jesus now and what is He doing? (Acts 7:55-56, Romans 8:34, Ephesians 1:20-23, Colossians 3:1, Hebrews 8:1-2 and 1 Peter 3:22)

About The Author

John Edmiston is the CEO of Cybermissions and is a digital strategist with a passion for the unreached. John has been in Internet ministry for over 25 years (since 1991) and had the first Christian prayer website and the first major bible-teaching website on the Internet. He has many technology projects and consults with Christian organizations and ministry networks.

Life Story

John Edmiston was an atheist until the age of 21 when he was converted on the 1st May 1978 during the process of attempting to mathematically disprove the existence of God and the possibility of miracles. Eighteen months later, in 1980 John entered the Baptist Theological College of Queensland and completed the five year ordination course. At the same time he completed the post-graduate Bachelor of Divinity degree (equivalent to the M.Div. in the USA) from the Melbourne College of Divinity. John went on to pastor a Chinese church in 1984 and then in 1986 went to Papua New Guinea with APCM (now Pioneers). In 1991 began in Internet ministry going full-time in 1994 with Eternity Online Magazine. In early 2001 John went to the Philippines as a missionary and set up Internet based training for Asian pastors and Filipino missionaries. John & Minda Edmiston migrated to the USA in 2004 becoming US citizens in 2011. John now runs Cybermissions, a missions agency dedicated to using computers and the Internet to facilitate the Great Commission and which provides highly strategic training to God’s church globally.

Preaching and Seminars

John Edmiston is available to do preaching and seminars in your church or missions agency. An 8 session Spiritual Continuum seminar can be done on a Friday night/Saturday.

Contact

Email:  johned@cybermissions.org

Twitter:  @Cybermissions

Phone: +1 310-844-6948

Address:  Cybermissions   21615 Berendo Ave.  (Ste. 400) Torrance CA 90502, USA