{"id":986,"date":"2018-01-30T14:28:39","date_gmt":"2018-01-30T13:28:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/?p=986"},"modified":"2018-01-30T14:30:52","modified_gmt":"2018-01-30T13:30:52","slug":"an-exposition-of-the-book-of-luke-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/2018\/01\/30\/an-exposition-of-the-book-of-luke-13\/","title":{"rendered":"An Exposition of the Book of Luke"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Exposition of The Gospel According to Luke<\/span><\/p>\n

(Installment 47)
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The Resurrection and Appearances of the Lord Jesus<\/center><\/p>\n

THE TWO FACTS that constitute the principal bulwark of the Christian faith are the empty tomb<\/i> and the conversion of the Apostle Paul<\/i>. These facts are recognized by logicians and apologists. The claims of Christ and Christianity are based, therefore, upon the fact of the empty tomb on that first Easter morning. If the body of Jesus was not raised from the dead, our faith is vain and our hope is vain. Thus argued the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians chapter 15. Another historical fact that is of the utmost importance in establishing the truthfulness and the correctness of the Christian faith is the conversion of that warrior, Saul of Tarsus, who became known as the Apostle Paul. He was an intellectual giant, a burning firebrand, and a bundle of energy. Suddenly, he stopped in his mad career, made a rightabout face, and espoused the faith which he had been persecuting, proclaiming the reason as to why he made the change. He affirmed that Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, spoke directly to him from heaven, when he was on his way to Damascus. The reason for the Lord’s appearing to him is stated by the Apostle Paul in the following words, spoken by the risen Christ to him: „16 But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee; 17 delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, 18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me“ (Acts 26:16-18).<\/p>\n

We praise God for the evidence that the tomb was empty on that first Easter morning, that our Lord ascended to the right hand of the throne of God, and that He also appeared to the Apostle Paul. These facts being indisputable, we have perfect assurance of life and immortality through Him „who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel“ (II Tim. 1:10).<\/p>\n

The Fact of the Empty Tomb<\/center><\/p>\n

The four Evangelists are very explicit concerning the resurrection of our Lord and of the tomb’s being empty on the first day of the week following the crucifixion. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joses prepared spices to anoint the body of Jesus at the end of the sabbath, Saturday night at sundown (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1). „And the women, who had come with him out of Galilee … prepared spices and ointments“ (Luke 23:55) and „on the first day of the week, at early dawn [Sunday morning], they came unto the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared“ (Luke 24:1). Upon their arrival they found that the stone which had been put before the tomb had been rolled away. „And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus“ (24:3). As they stood there, perplexed by the absence of the body, „behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.“ These were angels, who appeared in the form of men to bring a message of glad tiding to the anxious women. Being frightened, the women „bowed down their faces to the earth.“ While they were in this posture, the angels asked them: „Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again“ (Luke 24:5-7). This statement reminded the women of the words of the Lord Jesus, which He had spoken before His crucifixion. And remembering His words, they „returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest.“ The women constituting this group were „Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James: and the other women with them …“ (24:10). And they reported to the Apostles all the things that they had learned. At first, what they said seemed to the men to be idle words. „But Peter arose, and ran unto the tomb“ (24:12). Upon arriving there, he stooped down and looked in, and „seeth the linen cloths by themselves; and he departed to his home, wondering at that which was come to pass“ (24:12). These facts are briefly stated by Luke in 24:1-12. In the Fourth Gospel John the Apostle informs us that he accompanied Peter to the tomb (John 20:1-10).<\/p>\n

In order for us to understand the full significance of the visit of the disciples, we should study the parallel accounts found in Mark 16:1-8, Matthew 28:1-10, and John 20:1-10. An examination of all these records and a comparison of each of them with the others reveals the fact that they give substantially the same account of the empty tomb, the visit of the various disciples to the tomb, and the different appearances of Jesus. There are, of course, minor details that at first appear to be contradictory, but upon a thorough investigation of the facts as stated in the texts of the various writers, we are aware of the fact that there is perfect harmony throughout.<\/p>\n

The Women Report the Fact of the Empty Tomb to the Apostles<\/center><\/p>\n

In Luke 24:8-12 we have a record of the report of certain women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them) who went to the tomb, and found it empty. They went to the Apostles, as stated above, and told them their discovery. But their words appeared in their sight as idle talk; and they disbelieved them.“<\/p>\n

The Appearance of Jesus to the Two on the Way to Emmaus<\/center><\/p>\n

In Luke 24:13-31 we have an account of our Lord’s appearing to two disciples on the afternoon of the resurrection, as they were going from Jerusalem to Emmaus, which is about eight miles northwest of Jerusalem. Naturally, they were talking about the things that had just transpired, namely, the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus and the reports which they had heard concerning His being raised from the dead. As they were discussing these matters, Jesus himself appeared, drew near to them, and joined their company. But we are told in verse 16 „that their eyes were holden that they should not know him.“ This statement means that a miracle was wrought upon their physical eyes so that they could not see and recognize Him as the Lord Jesus. And it shows that they were acquainted with Him intimately and could ordinarily have recognized Him. But Jesus did not wish that they should at that time know Him; hence, the miracle was wrought whereby they were prevented from recognizing Him.<\/p>\n

This incident shows us that there is perfect identity of those in the resurrection body with their personality while they are still in the flesh. Jesus‘ glorified body bore the marks of identification so very clearly that the disciples could have recognized Him had the miracle not been performed upon their eyes.<\/p>\n

Jesus asked them what they had been discussing as they were walking along. That question caused them to stand „still, looking sad.“ Then one of them, named Cleopas, asked Him how it was that He was the only one in Jerusalem who did not know the things that had just taken place. In order to draw them out, the risen Christ asked to what things they were referring. They rejoined saying; „The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,“ and who had been delivered up by the chief priests and the rulers of the people to be condemned to death, and who had been crucified.<\/p>\n

Then they expressed the hopes that they had entertained concerning His being the one who would redeem Israel. By this statement they meant that they had believed He was the Messiah of Israel, who would, according to prophecy, restore the nation. Continuing, they said that this was now the third day „since these things came to pass,“ that is, since He had been crucified. This was the afternoon of the first day of the week–Sunday. It was likewise the third day since the things had happened. When we take this statement into consideration, we see that the Lord Jesus was crucified on Friday, according to the four Evangelists, and according to the statement of these two disciples who were traveling to Emmaus. Jesus was, as we have already seen in former studies, crucified on „the day of the Preparation, and the sabbath drew on.“ Then He was buried late that afternoon. He remained in the tomb all day Saturday, and He arose on the first day of the week. Thus there are three days mentioned here. Jesus was therefore crucified on Friday–without a doubt.<\/p>\n

These two disciples then told Him about the report that certain women, who had „been early at the tomb“ and who had found it empty, had brought. They told Him how the women said „that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive,“ and that „certain of them that were with us went to the tomb, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not“ (vss. 22-24).<\/p>\n

According to Luke 24:25,26 Jesus reproved them for being foolish and „slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!“ Then He showed them that it behooved the Messiah to suffer these things and to enter into His glory. „And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself (vs. 27). He traced the messianic predictions through the prophets, beginning with Moses, and interpreted to them the things concerning Himself. This the Lord did as they drew near to the village to which they were going. Then Jesus acted as though He were going to continue His journey farther, but they constrained Him to stop with them saying: „Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent“‚ (vs. 29). „And he went in to abide with them.“ When they sat down to eat, He took the bread and blessed it, returning thanks, and gave it to them. At that time their eyes were opened and they knew Him. They recognized that He, the Stranger, was the Lord Jesus himself. Then He vanished out of their sight (vs. 31).<\/p>\n

The Return of the Two to Jerusalem<\/center><\/p>\n

The two disciples seemed to be overwhelmed with the fact that they had actually been in company with Jesus and had not at first known Him. Of course, they did not realize that a miracle had been wrought which prevented their recognizing Him. They then returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven Apostles gathered together, and certain others with them. The company in the Holy City reported that the Lord had been raised from the dead, and that He had appeared to Simon. Then the two revealed to them the thing’s which had happened to them on the way to Emmaus, „and how he was known of them in the breaking of the bread“ (vs. 35).<\/p>\n

The Appearance of Jesus to the Eleven and Those With Them<\/center><\/p>\n

In 24:36-43 we have a record of our Lord’s appearing to the disciples on the evening of that first Easter Sunday. While they were discussing the things which they had seen and heard, Jesus himself suddenly appeared in their midst and greeted them by saying: „Peace be unto you.“ But they were terrified „and supposed that they beheld a spirit.“ He allayed their fears, asking why they were troubled, and why questions were arising in their hearts. Then He showed them His hands and feet, which proved that it was He. After this incident He urged them to feel His body and see that He was not a spirit, which they thought He was, „for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye behold me having,“ He told them. Then while the disciples were still overwhelmed with surprise and joy, Jesus asked them, „Have ye here anything to eat“ (vs. 41). „And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish. 43 And he took it, and ate before them.“<\/p>\n

In order to get a clear picture of the appearances of our Lord to His disciples after His resurrection, a person, should carefully study the following passages: Matthew, chapter 28; Mark, chapter 16; Luke, chapter 24; John, chapter 20; and I Corinthians 15:1-8.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/center><\/center><\/p>\n

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An Exposition of The Gospel According to Luke
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(Installment 48)<\/p>\n

The Great Commission and The Ascension of Jesus<\/center><\/p>\n

We HAVE HASTILY SCANNED the account telling of the appearance of our Lord to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus on Easter Sunday and His appearance to the disciples on the evening of that same day. We shall now conclude our studies in the Book of Luke by examining the great commission as it is recorded in Luke 24:44-49, and then, finally, we shall look at the account of our Lord’s ascension, as seen in 24:50-53.<\/p>\n

The Great Commission<\/center><\/p>\n

A possible inference of the designation, „The Great Commission,“ is that there was one which was not so great as this one. This inference is legitimate, for there was a limited, or restricted, one which the Lord Jesus gave to His disciples, and which they carried out in Israel during the last six months of the second full year of His ministry (Matt., chap. 10). The disciples toured Galilee and performed all kinds of miracles of attestation of their divine calling. They were to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Thus that tour is called the restricted commission. They never completed going over the house of Israel; they went only in Galilee. It is clear that this commission is blended with that part of it which has not yet been fulfilled, but which will be carried out in the end of the age, as we see in Matthew 10:22,23. This will be resumed in the end time. But before it is completely fulfilled, the Lord Jesus will come in glory and power and take the affairs of the world into His own strong hands.<\/p>\n

Our Lord Jesus appeared eleven times to various ones of His disciples after His resurrection. If we had Luke’s account only to consider, we would think that the great commission, recorded by him in 24:44-49, was given at the time when Jesus appeared on the night of that memorable Easter to the disciples in Jerusalem. It is more likely that this was probably His tenth appearance and occurred just before His ascension. He began His quiet talk with them by saying: „These are my words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all-things must needs he fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me“ (Luke 24:44). Jesus spoke of the Scriptures in the Old Testament in terms that were current in His day and time, and that are still current among the Jews today. The Hebrew Bible is divided into three sections: the Five Books of Moses, the Major and Minor Prophets, and the Sacred Writings, beginning with the Book of Psalms and ending with the Chronicles–according to the arrangement of the books in the Hebrew Old Testament. In dealing with our Jewish friends we must follow the example of our Lord. He began with the Writings of Moses. So must we. We must find every doctrine possible in the Five Books of Moses and trace the development of the scriptural teachings throughout the Prophets and into the Psalms.<\/p>\n

Let us remember that the things that were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we might have hope through the Scriptures (Romans 15:4). Also let us, in this connection, read carefully II Timothy 3:16,17: „Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: 17 that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.“<\/p>\n

The „testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy“ (Rev. 19:10). We should, therefore, study all the Scriptures, because they all pertain to, and point in the direction of, Christ. The Old Testament looks forward<\/i> to His first coming and unfolds the entire redemptive career of Messiah, while the New Testament looks back<\/i> to His first coming, explains the present dispensation, and points toward His second coming and the things of the future.<\/p>\n

Verse 45 is most important for us: „Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures …“ In this connection we should remember the fact that is stated in I Corinthians 2:13-16: „Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual words. 14 Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.“ As the Apostle asserted in this passage, the man who is unregenerated, unsaved, and in whose heart the Spirit of God does not dwell, cannot possibly understand the Scriptures. He may get a partial intellectual grasp of some facts that are stated there, but he cannot see the real spiritual significance of the message of the Scriptures. He can, however, see enough to let him know that he must come to God and be saved and have divine assistance for his life and understanding of the Word of God. Thus we are told that, at the time our Lord appeared to the Apostles on this occasion, He expounded the Scriptures to them. Of course, He expounded them as never man explained, with such clarity, force, and logic that it was impossible for them to misunderstand the main facts. But He also gave them spiritual discernment. He opened their eyes that they might take in the facts which He was stating to them.<\/p>\n

The psalmist David prayed:
\n„Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold
\nWondrous things out of thy law“ (Ps. 119:18).<\/p>\n

In any early Christian experience I could get something out of the Word, but very little. I got it because I was born again and was trusting Christ. But a new day dawned for me when my attention was called to this prayer of David’s. I saw the significance of it and acted thereupon. David had the Word of the Lord. He was a man through whom God spoke His revelations. Yet David realized that he could not understand the full import of the revelation of God unless the Almighty, by His Spirit, opened his eyes and enabled him to see the truth.<\/p>\n

When my attention was called to this great passage, I took God at His word and felt that, if David, a child of God, could pray thus, I could do likewise! Hence, I prayed for the Lord to open my eyes to see the wonderful things revealed in His Word. Then I opened my Bible and began to read. On this particular occasion my eyes fell upon Psalm 2. I had read it many times, but I had no idea of what it meant. I believed, however, that God would open my eyes to see the message therein. And I saw it as I had never observed it before! Never since have I had to change or modify the idea that I received then concerning this psalm. The picture has become clearer, and I have seen it more in detail; but at that time I received the proper, general idea of the teaching of Psalm 2. I know that God heard and answered my prayer for the light. What He did for me, He will do for anyone else who is a child of God, and who will pray for light, in order that he might walk in it and thus glorify the Lord.<\/p>\n

The Lord showed that it was written in the Prophets that the Messiah should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day. It was clearly revealed by the Old Testament Scriptures that the Messiah should suffer as the Lamb of God, should be buried, and should rise the third day, which prophecies were literally fulfilled, as we have already seen in our study of the Book of Luke.<\/p>\n

The great commission, as our Lord gave it on this occasion, is found in 24:47-49: „… that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 Ye are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high.“ The Apostle Paul preached repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance is a mental, spiritual act. The word „repentance“ in the Greek translated literally means „to change the thoughts, purposes, and intentions of the heart and mind.“ Sorrow before God leads men to make such a decision to turn from sin and to God and to trust Christ for salvation. Many receive the grace of God through faith. When they thus accept the Lord by faith, they receive remission of sins. The Spirit of God then regenerates the heart.<\/p>\n

Preaching the gospel is such an important matter that the Lord would not allow the Apostles to depend upon their own strength and wisdom. He therefore commanded them to remain in the city of Jerusalem and to await the coming of the Spirit of God, who would bring to their remembrance all things whatsoever He had said to them and would make new revelations to them. This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost when the Spirit of God came, endowed them with all wisdom, guided them, and enabled them to speak the Word of God infallibly to the people. They were not only inspired to preach the oral Word, but to write the Scriptures of the New Testament. Thus we have an infallibly inspired record of the will of God. May we treasure it, and may we follow it conscientiously in all things!<\/p>\n

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The Ascension <\/span><\/center><\/p>\n

One should always have clearly in mind the redemptive career of King Messiah as set forth in the Old Testament in order to understand fully the facts connected with His career. The work and ministry of the Messiah was foretold by the psalmist David in Psalm 110:1-3, as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

„1 Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand,
\nUntil I make thine enemies thy footstool.
\n2 Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion;
\nRule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
\n3 Thy people offer themselves willingly
\nIn the day of thy power, in holy array:
\nOut of the womb of the morning
\nThou hast the dew of thy youth.“<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In this passage we see the entire redemptive career of King Messiah. He comes to earth and is rejected by His people at His first coming. When this is done, He is invited by the Father to leave earth and to ascend to heaven. He is to remain at the right hand of the throne of God during the period of His rejection by His beloved people. God, however, overrules and directs with His unseen, invisible hand the course of all history. Eventually He will bring it to pass that the nation of Israel will confess its national sin of rejection of Messiah–will repent of this in genuine contrition–and will plead for Him to return. When they do that, He will leave heaven, come back, take the world situation in hand, and establish a reign of righteousness upon the earth.<\/p>\n

The Messiah of Israel, Jesus Christ, came on scheduled time and in the manner that was foretold by the Prophets. He engaged in His ministry and accomplished the work that He was scheduled to do at His first coming. Finally, He was rejected by His people, was crucified and buried, but was raised from the dead, as we have seen in the records of the Four Gospels. At the time of His resurrection, God the Father invited Him to leave earth and to ascend into heaven, which thing He did. According to Luke 24:50-53 „… he led them out until they were over against Bethany: and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 and were continually in the temple, blessing God.“<\/p>\n

The Lord Jesus Christ went back to glory. But He had promised the disciples that He would not leave them desolate, and He had said: „I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever“ (John 14:16). He told them that „when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth …“ (John 16:13). The promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Acts, chap. 2).<\/p>\n

When Stephen made his speech before the Sanhedrin (Acts, chap. 7), he had a vision of heaven, and „being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God“ (Acts 7:55,56). Jesus is there to appear in the presence of God for all who come to God by Him: „Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them“ (Heb. 7:25).<\/p>\n

Praise God for the crucified, risen, and glorified Saviour, who will come again at the proper time and receive us unto Himself!<\/span><\/p>\n

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An Exposition of The Gospel According to Luke (Installment 47) The Resurrection and Appearances of the Lord Jesus THE TWO FACTS that constitute the principal bulwark of the Christian faith are the empty tomb and the conversion of the Apostle Paul. These facts are recognized by logicians and apologists. The claims of Christ and Christianity … <\/p>\n

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