You Can Read the Bible Guided Podcast

For the fifth and sixth times in this book, Jesus’ conduct on the Sabbath raises concerns with the Pharisees and synagogue rulers.  Stories in each chapter today, in fact, focus specifically on their outrage at Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath.  Once again, pay attention to events and episodes that are repeated, for indications about the characters’ and author’s perspectives. 

The interaction at the beginning of chapter 14 is especially telling, and might form an inflection point for this book.  Jesus is dining in the house of a Pharisee – obviously they are not mortal enemies.  Luke says they were watching Him carefully.  A man was there with dropsy; Jesus takes the initiative – He’s had this argument before – and asks, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?”  But they remained silent.  So He heals the man, and He confronts them again about their sense of justice; but “…they could not reply to these things.” 

He then told them three parables: one about guests presumptively choosing the place of honor at other people’s parties, and another about hosts inviting those who can’t return the favor.  Finally, He told them a parable of the Kingdom – a subject that is never far from His mind – and the high cost of treating the Lord’s invitation frivolously. 

Notice the setting of all this: a dinner to which Jesus was invited.  Surely He knew they were watching Him closely, though Luke, as usual, doesn’t indicate their precise motivations.  Be careful not to read prejudices in from other sources – we don’t know for sure what these particular Pharisees are after.  Luke leaves that shrouded, perhaps using their silence to indicate that they really didn’t know what to make of Jesus.   Their response to Jesus’ very bold assertions likewise remains hidden.  Luke is weaving a story of interactions and relationships that are complex, multi-layered… and entirely familiar.   

Our verse for this week is Psalm 27:1: The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Luke 13 and 14.  Now let’s read it!

Time moves quickly today as we cover 80 years of history in a blink.  Jehoahaz of Israel seeks the LORD but also maintains the cults of Jeroboam at Dan and Bethel, and his son Jehoash is no better.  While oppressed again by Syria, the author wants us to know why Israel survived: But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has He cast them from His presence until now. 

In the last half of chapter 13 the story ends for the man of God, Elisha.  For most of his life Elisha has been more respected by foreign rulers than he is by Israel's king.  However, Jehoash goes to mourn him, only to reveal the same almost-yet-uncommitted faith of his father. 

In chapter 14 Amaziah reigns in Judah, righteously, yet not like David his father.  His pride drives his story.  Early in his reign he challenges Israel to a duel, which results in his capture and Jerusalem being sacked by their northern brothers.  Later, he is so unpopular that he is driven from the throne and replaced by his sixteen-year-old son. 

Meanwhile, Jeroboam, the great-grandson of Jehu, takes over in Israel.  However, the author spends very little time on Jeroboam II, except to highlight the LORD’s efforts and opinion of Israel’s most prosperous king.  It is significant to note that Jeroboam reigns during Assyria’s weakest era, and it is more important to the author that Jeroboam did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.  He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.   

Furthermore, Jeroboam’s success was a result of the LORD’s compassion, for the LORD saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter, for there was none left, bond or free, and there was none to help Israel. But the LORD had not said that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

In chapter 15, sandwiched between two kings of Judah are the brief accounts of Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah: three men who wasted twenty years fighting over the throne.  As prophesied, Jehu’s prosperous line has ended.  Israel is in chaos.  And Assyria is on the rise.

Our verse for this week is Romans 8:28: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

2 Kings 13 through 15.  Now let’s read it!

Chapter 11 opens with “Now Jesus was praying in a certain place…” It marks the ninth time Luke has noted Jesus praying.  He often does this alone, withdrawn from the crowds.  But at times He takes others, like Peter, James, and John, where on a mountain they heard the voice of God.  Sometimes Luke presents it as a simple observation, and others it seems like Jesus’ prayer was a launch point for an event, such as the calling of His disciples.  Today, Jesus’ praying influences the disciples to ask Him to teach them how to pray, “as John taught his disciples.” 

Jesus does so, and instructs them even more deeply about the character of God.  This conversation is a backdrop, as is typical in this gospel, for the events that come next.  For the rest of the reading, opponents from among the Pharisees and lawyers sought Jesus out, to press Him, Luke says, and to provoke Him…lying in wait for Him, to catch Him in something He might say. Jesus, meanwhile, begins speaking critically and publicly against their teaching and hypocrisy, about their public shows of faithfulness but rejection of justice and love of God.

Chapter 12 is devoted to teaching about worrying about the proper things.  “Do not be anxious about this life,” Jesus tells His disciples, “for all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.”  Rather, “Seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”  Furthermore, He connects Himself to this kingdom, warning: “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”  And as if anticipating their incredulity, He drives further: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth?  No, I tell you, but rather division.” 

Our verse for this week is Psalm 27:1: The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Luke chapters 11 and 12.  Now let’s read it!

“Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’”              -2 Samuel 12:9-10

2 Kings chapter 10 continues the story of Jehu’s extermination of the house of Ahab and Jezebel.   We’re given an almost hopeful picture: Jehu comes closer than any Israelite king to truly following the LORD.  However, Jehu did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin – that is, the golden calves that were in Bethel and Dan.  Whether or not these calves were disobedient of the first commandment, they certainly were violating the second.

By the end of today’s reading, we’ll be about 120 years into this two-kingdom experiment for the people of the LORD.  The longest-reigning dynasty in the Northern Kingdom has just been upended by Jehu.  While it had survived three successions, it still only lasted 44 turbulent years.  Comparatively, the Davidic dynasty had sustained its throne in Jerusalem for over two centuries. 

But the sword in David’s house was only lying dormant, and it springs to life in chapter 11.  Yesterday we read that Jehu had ended the king of Judah’s life, and today the king’s mother takes the throne for herself.  She is Athaliah, a daughter of Ahab in both body and spirit.  She ruthlessly exterminates the royal house, save one son of Ahaziah: Joash (or Jehoash), who is hidden by his aunt and a faithful priest. 

I’m going to close by addressing a potential point of frustration with all these names.  First, there are many times when people are referred here by two different names.  Joash and Jehoash are an example, as are Joram and Jehoram, and tomorrow you’ll run into Uzziah, also known as Azariah. 

There are also multiple occurrences of certain names: Azariah reigns first in Israel, and then sixty years later another Azariah reigns in Judah; there is also an Ahaziah in each kingdom, and two named Joash who even reign simultaneously for a time.  Tomorrow, you’ll run into a second Ben-Hadad in Syria, and a second Jeroboam.

Remember that you’re reading the actual histories of actual kingdoms.  It can be difficult to keep track of it all.  Very soon, unfortunately, one of these parallel histories will be brought to a close. 

Our verse for this week is Romans 8:28: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

2 Kings 10 through 12.  Now let’s read it!