Lucas 10

John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin

Lucas 10

MacArthur on wolves - they would face hostility (cf. Eze 2:3–6; Jn 15:20) and spiritual danger (cf. Mt 7:15; Jn 10:12). (Wolves was) Used to describe false prophets who persecute the true ones and seek to destroy the Church (cf. 7:15; Lk 10:3; Ac 20:29). (See MacArthur Study Bible)

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MacArthur - A greeting in that culture was an elaborate ceremony, involving many formalities, perhaps even a meal, and long delays (see note on 11:43). A person on an extremely urgent mission could be excused from such formalities without being thought rude. Everything in Jesus’ instructions speaks of the shortness of time and the great urgency of the task. (See MacArthur Bible Commentary)

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MacArthur explains the kingdom of God has come near - The message the seventy proclaimed was that the kingdom of God had come near because the King, the Lord Jesus Christ, was present—the same message proclaimed by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:2), Jesus (Matt. 4:17, 23; 9:35; Luke 4:43), and the apostles (Matt. 10:7). A kingdom is a realm, sphere, or territory ruled by an absolute monarch who functions with absolute authority. In the kingdom of God, He is the “blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15). In a general sense, all creation is included under His sovereign rule in His universal kingdom (Ps. 103:19), but the kingdom of salvation is the theme of all gospel preaching. Those who enter that aspect of His kingdom through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ submit themselves completely to His authority and receive all the benefits of eternal life. The rest of humanity is in the kingdom of the world (Rev. 11:15+), under the rule of Satan (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Acts 26:18+; 2 Cor. 4:4+; Eph. 2:2+); there are no free agents. The gospel is the good news that sinners can be forgiven, delivered from the kingdom of darkness into “the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col. 1:13+), and thereby be reconciled to God (Ro 5:10-11+), Who gives them permanent peace, comfort, and joy both in time and eternity. (HALLELUJAH!) (See Luke Commentary) NET Note on Kingdom of God say - The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20–21. Steven

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MacArthur on dust - It was common for Jews to shake the dust off their feet—as an expression of disdain—when returning from Gentile regions. Paul and Barnabas also did this when expelled from Antioch (Ac 13:51). This was a visible protest, signifying that they regarded the place as no better than a pagan land. (See MacArthur Study Bible)

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MacArthur has a wonderful comment on the joy experienced by the 70 (you may be in a down period of your life - May God grant you grace to let these truths about joy sink down deep into your heart. In Jesus' Name. Amen) - When they consider God and His attributes, most people think of characteristics like holiness, sovereignty, omniscience, omnipresence, immutability, justice, wrath, love, grace, and mercy. Rarely considered, however, is God’s joy. In 1 Chronicles 16:27 David said of Him, “Strength and joy are in His place.”The prophet Zephaniah declared to Israel, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy” (Zeph. 3:17). Jeremiah records God’s promise to Israel, “I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul” (Jer. 32:41), while in Isaiah 62:5 God said to His people that in the future, “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you” (cf. 65:19; Deut. 30:9). God’s joy is the ultimate purpose for which all His attributes function; it is the all-glorious displaying of them that brings Him the fullest joy. God’s attributes ensure not only His eternal joy, but also that of all the inhabitants of heaven. There “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain” (Rev. 21:4). The dominant reality of heaven is unmixed joy forever, which is why the Lord said that those who enter heaven “enter into the joy of [their] master” (Matt. 25:21) and Jude gave the benediction, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy” (Jude 24). (Luke Commentary) Steven Cole on joy and rejoicing - “Congratulations! You have just won the Reader’s Digest Five Million Dollar Sweepstakes!” Would that make you rejoice? “Congratulations! You have just been used of God to move a soul from eternal darkness to eternal light and life!” Now that should make the believer rejoice like nothing else! But all too often, when we hear of a soul being saved, we respond with, “That’s nice. Hey, who do you think will win the Super Bowl?” Whatever makes us the happiest reveals our true values. Do we get more excited about temporal blessings or eternal ones? Do we get more excited about a new car or a new brother or sister in Christ? (What Makes Jesus Rejoice) Joy (5479)(chara) is a feeling of great pleasure, of inner gladness, or of delight. Joy is an emotion evoked by a sense of well-being. It is a deep feeling of happiness and contentment. Joy in the NT is virtually always used to signify a feeling of "happiness" that is based on spiritual realities (and independent of what "happens"). Warren Wiersbe defined joy as "that inward peace and sufficiency that is not affected by outward circumstances. (A case in point is Paul’s experience recorded in Phil. 4:10-20.) This "holy optimism" keeps him going in spite of difficulties." (Borrow Be Compassionate)Donald Campbell wrote that "Joy is a deep and abiding inner rejoicing which was promised to those who abide in Christ (Jn 15:11). It does not depend on circumstances because it rests in God’s sovereign control of all things." Joy is a depth of assurance and confidence that ignites a cheerful heart. It is a cheerful heart that leads to cheerful behavior. Joy is not an experience that comes from favorable circumstances but is God’s gift from His Spirit to believers. Joy is a part of God’s very essence (see MacArthur's excellent comment below) and His Spirit manifests this supernatural joy in His children (Galatians 5:22-note, Acts 13:52, 1Th 1:6-note).In sum, Joy is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well between himself and the Lord.

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MacArthur explains I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning - Commentators have offered various interpretations of what the Lord meant by this saying. Some argue that it refers to Satan’s original fall (Isa. 14:12), but that incident has nothing to do with the immediate context. Others have suggested several other possibilities: that Christ had in mind His vanquishing of Satan at His temptation; or that He referred to Satan’s subjection to Him by virtue of His own ministry of casting out demons; or the crushing of Satan’s head at the cross, or Satan’s future sentencing to the lake of fire. But the imperfect tense of the verb translated I was watching suggests a continual process rather than a one-time event such as those offerings. Although they were truly triumphs of Christ over Satan, the vivid imagery of lightning, which repeatedly flashes brilliantly and then is gone, suggests a different explanation. The picture here is of Jesus rejoicing as He observed Satan’s kingdom being destroyed one rescued soul at a time through the seventy’s evangelistic ministry. That would continue to be true throughout all the history of the church as God and the holy angels rejoice every time one lost and damned soul is recovered from Satan’s domain (cf. Luke 15:7, 10).(See The MacArthur Commentary) An older commentary Albert Barnes agrees - "Satan" here denotes evidently the prince of the devils who had been cast out by the seventy disciples, for the discourse was respecting their power over evil spirits. "Lightning" is an image of "rapidity" or "quickness." I saw Satan fall "quickly" or rapidly - as quick as lightning. The phrase "from heaven" is to be referred to the lightning, and does not mean that he saw "Satan" fall "from heaven," but that he fell as quick as lightning from heaven or from the clouds. The whole expression then may mean, "I saw at your command devils immediately depart, as quick as the flash of lightning. I gave you this power - I saw it put forth - and I give also now, in addition to this, the power to tread on serpents," etc. "While you were expelling the subordinates, I was seeing the master fall." -- Frederic Godet

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MacArthur - What produced the ultimate joy for Jesus was the satisfaction of God. The Lord expressed that joy here in the form of a prayer of praise and adoration, the passion of which is evident from the phrases O Father, and Yes, Father. He rejoiced greatly (agalliao) in the Holy Spirit (Lk 3:22; 4:1, 14, 18) - This is the only time in the Scripture where Jesus is described as rejoicing. In (locative of sphere) the Holy Spirit describes supernatural joy energized by the Spirit. THOUGHT - Jesus' Source is the Spirit, Who is also our Source for supernatural joy independent of the circumstances we might currently be experiencing, whether good or bad. Our manifestation of this joy is predicated on us continually being filled with (controlled by) the same Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18) Who filled (and controlled) Jesus (Lk 4:1, Acts 10:38). This begs the question - Are you daily seeking to meet the challenges you will experience in your power or His power? It will make all the difference in the world whether or not you manifest Spirit energized joy. The lost are watching. They are looking for the supernatural (many times in all the wrong places) but we are to like salty lights set on the top of hill for others to see our good works (e.g., joy in adverse circumstances) and glorify (give a proper opinion of) our Heavenly Father. (Mt 5:16-+).

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MacArthur says this designation is "a traditionally Jewish designation of the supreme and only God of the universe (cf. Ge 14:19, 22; Ezra 5:11; Isa 66:1). These things refers to things relating to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and in context includes what the 70 disciples had reported (Lk 10:19-20). God the Father had hidden (or concealed) the knowledge about Christ and the plan of redemption for wise and intelligent. The idea of hidden is it was truth that could not be known except by divine revelation, revelation by the Spirit of God. Wise and intelligent speak of the evaluation of people according to the standards of this fallen, God hating world (which is passing away). See Paul's assessment of this "elite group" in several passages from First Corinthians (see above). Jesus uses the metaphor of infants (nepios) to depict the ones to whom God's truth about the plan of redemption and His Redeemer are spiritually revealed (apokalupto). In other words revealed (apokalupto) signifies the Spirit's removal of a person's spiritual blindness which otherwise conceals from them their need for the Gospel. This spiritual truth was previously hidden but now has had the "lid removed" so that it can be seen (understood) by those who are like infants., unspoiled by worldly learning, childlike, simple people. In short, this profound truth is revealed not to the proud, arrogant, boastful, intelligent, worldly wise, self-righteous, etc, but to the humble, poor in spirit, broken and contrite, those who have nothing to boast about. This is what gave the Father good pleasure (eudokía). MacArthur amplifies these things noting that "The antecedent of these things is the revelation of everything concerning Jesus, including His deity, messiahship, the miracles He performed, the gospel, the kingdom—in short, all the features of Christ’s life, ministry, and mission. The Father had sovereignly determined to whom those truths should be revealed, and from whom they should be hidden, and operated within that determination to reveal to the elect what was otherwise not discernible through human wisdom or intelligence. Jesus rejoiced that His Father had not devised a plan of salvation that only the wise and intelligent could comprehend. Salvation is not restricted to the spiritual elite, the worldly wise and the intelligent, such as the well-educated scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day, or those claiming elevated, esoteric, secret knowledge, like the Gnostics and the followers of the mystery religions. God has hidden spiritual truth so that it is not discoverable by the most elevated human wisdom apart from His self-revelation in Scripture and regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in minds" (See Luke Commentary)

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MacArthur adds that "The things they were privileged to see and understand include the great truths that the Messiah had come, the salvation of God had been revealed, the work of redemption accomplished, the promised kingdom offered, all the Old Testament prophecies, promises, and covenants fulfilled in Christ, who would make the final offering for sin. Satan had met his conqueror, demons were completely dominated, disease vanquished, nature submissive, death defeated through Christ, and forgiveness and eternal life granted to all who believe." (See Luke Commentary) NET Note - This beatitude highlights the great honor bestowed on the disciples to share in this salvation, as Lk 10:20+ also noted. See also Luke 2:30+ (Simeon declared "For my eyes have seen Your salvation.")

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MacArthur - Of all the questions that could be asked, none is more important than the one in this passage: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”That question’s significance is rooted in the reality that every human soul is immortal. Annihilationism, materialism, reincarnation, and any other view that denies that people will continue to be the persons that they are forever is false. The question is not if people will live forever, but where they will live forever—in heaven, or in hell....This unnamed scribe had a rare privilege whose value is beyond estimation—having a conversation about eternal life with the One who is Himself eternal life (1 John 5:20). In a tragic example of missed opportunity that rivals Judas, the scribe, despite asking the right question of the right person and receiving the right answer, he turned away to face eternal death. Despite its outcome, this incident provides a valuable lesson on doing personal evangelism the way Jesus did it. (See Luke Commentary) Eternal life refers to endless life and implies that immortality was a belief of orthodox Jews. Here the life referred to is life as God meant it to be lived, rich and full and abundant. Such life can occur only in His presence and by His Spirit's power in a person who has a new heart by grace through faith. The lawyer was not asking about the "other side of the coin," so to speak, that is he was not asking about the eternal life of punishment which is endless misery away from the presence of the the Lord the antithesis to endless bliss in the presence of the Lord. Eternal life - 41x in 41v all in the NT with most in John's Gospel - Matt. 19:16; Matt. 19:29; Matt. 25:46; Mk. 10:17; Mk. 10:30; Lk. 10:25; Lk. 18:18; Lk. 18:30; Jn. 3:15; Jn. 3:16; Jn. 3:36; Jn. 4:14; Jn. 5:24; Jn. 5:39; Jn. 6:27; Jn. 6:40; Jn. 6:47; Jn. 6:54; Jn. 6:68; Jn. 10:28; Jn. 12:50; Jn. 17:2; Jn. 17:3; Acts 13:46; Acts 13:48; Rom. 2:7; Rom. 5:21; Rom. 6:22; Rom. 6:23; Gal. 6:8; 1 Tim. 1:16; 1 Tim. 6:12; Tit. 1:2; Tit. 3:7; 1 Jn. 1:2; 1 Jn. 2:25; 1 Jn. 3:15; 1 Jn. 5:11; 1 Jn. 5:13; 1 Jn. 5:20; Jude 1:21 MacArthur makes the important point that "In today’s postmodern world, dominated by naturalism, evolution, and humanism, Christians can no longer assume that the people they evangelize understand that they will live forever. The enemy loves to propagate the lie that the present life is all there is, so there is nothing better than to “eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor. 15:32). Yet God has set eternity in the heart of man (Eccl. 3:11), and even those who deny its reality still feel its pull in their hearts. That universal sense of eternity has been expressed in various rituals and traditions involving burying the dead throughout history. MacArthur goes on to add "In the scribe’s mind, Jesus was a logical person to ask about eternal life, because it was the constant theme of His preaching (Matt. 25:46; Mark 10:29-30; John 4:36; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47, 54, 68; 10:28; 12:25, 50; 17:2-3; cf. Acts 13:48; Rom. 2:7; 5:21; 1 Tim. 1:16; Titus 1:2; 1 John 1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11, 13, 20; Jude 21). It is here that much modern evangelism is deficient. Talking about eternal life and especially about hell is considered uncouth, and some who profess to be evangelicals question or even openly deny hell’s existence. Jesus, however, described hell in terrifyingly graphic language (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Mark 9:43-48) and said more about it than He did about heaven. Heaven, surprisingly, is also an unpopular topic, since the emphasis is on making things better in the present life. To that end, contemporary evangelism seeks to discover people’s felt needs and then present Jesus to them as the cure for all that is dysfunctional in their lives. But the Bible does not guarantee that a person’s circumstances will improve after salvation." In fact, they may even become worse (Acts 14:22; Rom. 8:17; 1 Thess. 3:4; 2 Tim. 3:12; 1 Peter 4:12-16). Salvation does bring supernatural peace (John 14:27), strength to endure trials and suffering (2 Thess. 3:3; 1 Peter 5:10), and comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-5) that turns sorrow into joy (Ps. 30:5; John 15:11). But the focus of biblically-based evangelism is not on the comforts of the present life, but on the reality of eternity; on getting people’s attention off this temporary world and onto the everlasting existence by explaining in biblical detail the joys of heaven and the horrors of hell. "(See Luke Commentary) Disciple's Study Bible - God's requirement for eternal life is to love Him supremely and to love your neighbor as much as yourself. No one can love in these ways without the help which God gives through faith in Christ. See Mk 12:30. Neighbor Love--The lawyer understood what the Law required for eternal life, but he did not understand the full significance of such love. To be valid, such love must be expressed in action. The lawyer sought to limit his neighborliness. He wanted to determine whom he should help. Jesus said he must give unselfish and unlimited assistance to anyone in need, even someone who might hurt his reputation. (Mt 5:44, Lu 6:35,Lu 6:27 = love your enemies!!!) (Borrow Disciple's Study Bible) A lawyer (3544)(nomikos from nomos - law) means related to the law and generally refers to a legal scholar, an expert in the Mosaiac law, in interpreting Jewish law.

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MacArthur - The command calls for total commitment to selfless love (agapaō; the highest kind of love) involving all human faculties, including the heart, soul, strength, and mind. These two commands sum up the Ten Commandments, the first half of which describes how to love God, while the second half describes how to love one’s neighbor. Only those who practice such self-denying love (cf. Luke 9:23) can receive eternal life. (See Luke Commentary )

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MacArthur writes that "The only way out of that frightening dilemma is to acknowledge one’s sin (Ps. 32:5; Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9), cry for mercy (Luke 18:13), and through faith alone (John 3:16, 36; 5:24; Acts 15:9; Rom. 3:20–30; 4:5; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8–9; Phil. 3:9; 1 Peter 1:9) embrace the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior and only sacrifice for sin (Eph. 5:2; Heb. 9:24–28; 10:12). For such penitent believers God made His Son, “who knew no sin to be sin on [their] behalf, so that [they] might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21)." NET Note - The expert in religious law picked up on the remark about the neighbor and sought to limit his responsibility for loving. Some believed this obligation would only be required toward the righteous (Sir 12:1–4). The lawyer was trying to see if that was right and thus confidently establish his righteousness (wanting to justify himself). (See Luke Commentary) Lawrence Richards - Jesus told of the good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37), who, upon passing a Jewish stranger who had been stripped and beaten by robbers, took pity on him. The Samaritan stopped, helped him to the nearest inn, and took responsibility to pay for his care. After establishing the fact that the neighbor was one who had mercy on the needy stranger, Jesus told his questioner, "Go and do likewise" (Lk 10:37). The story extends rather than narrows the concept of neighbor. In the story, the injured man was a Jew, someone traditionally hostile to Samaritans. There was no bond of personal relationship between the two. They were simply two human beings, one in need and the other able to meet the need. Jesus' message was clear for those who heard him then, and it is clear for us today. Our neighbor is any person we may come in contact with who has a need. And to love one's neighbor means to be moved by compassion to reach out and seek to meet that need. (Borrow Expository Dictionary of Bible Words)

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MacArthur comments "This dramatic tale is widely used to teach the importance of helping those in need. In fact, the term “Good Samaritan” has become an idiom for those who demonstrate unusual, sacrificial kindness toward others. But while it is important to help the needy, that is not the point of the story. It is in reality a story about how one inherits eternal life, because that is the question that initiated the conversation to which this story is the conclusion. The Lord offered this story in answer to the scribe’s question, with its somewhat cynical implication that he did love all those whom he considered to be his neighbors. Jesus graciously gave him one more unforgettable, inescapably clear insight into his wretchedness; one more opportunity to acknowledge his sinfulness and cry for mercy." (See Luke Commentary) William Barclay sets the context on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho - First, let us look at the scene of this story. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was a notoriously dangerous road. Jerusalem is 2,300 feet above sea-level; the Dead Sea, near which Jericho stood, is 1,300 feet below sea-level. So then, in somewhat less than 20 miles, this road dropped 3,600 feet. It was a road of narrow, rocky deifies, and of sudden turnings which made it the happy hunting-ground of brigands. In the fifth century Jerome tells us that it was still called "The Red or Bloody Way." In the 19th century it was still necessary to pay safety money to the local Sheiks before one could travel on it. As late as the early 1930's, H. V. Morton tells us that he was warned to get home before dark, if he intended to use the road, because a certain Abu Jildah was an adept at holding up cars and robbing travelers and tourists, and escaping to the hills before the police could arrive. When Jesus told this story, he was telling about the kind of thing that was constantly happening on the Jerusalem to Jericho road. (Daily Study Bible) POSB applies this asking "How many are foolish and reckless in life, exposing and destroying their bodies by walking where they should not and by doing what they should not? (cp Pr 22:3)" (Borrow Luke Commentary The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible) Keathley - Notice that Jesus says, “A certain man, a certain priest, a certain levite.” There are no names; parables are representative of real life. (Ibid) Fell among robbers - Peripipto means to fall amon and so to be surrounded by (peri = around).

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MacArthur reminds us that "Commentators have offered many suggestions as to why the priest avoided the injured man. But all such speculation is pointless, since he was not a real person, but merely a character in the Lord’s story. The point Jesus was making is that because he knew the law’s requirements, he would have been expected to stop and aid the injured man." (See The MacArthur Commentary) NET Note agrees that "It is not said why the priest passed by and refused to help. It is not relevant to the point of the parable that no help was given in the emergency situation. The text suggests that the priest went out of his way (on the other side) not to get too close to the scene."

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MacArthur comments on the priest and Levite passing by - Despite their circumcision, knowledge of God’s law, and involvement in the religious system, both he and the priest proved themselves unqualified for eternal life. They did not love God, since they did not keep His commandments. Nor did they love their neighbor, since both passed up an opportunity to demonstrate that love. (See Luke Commentary) Keathley - They were leaving Jerusalem (Ed: from Jerusalem to Jericho - Lk 10:30+) and could not use the excuse that they did not want to touch the man and be unclean for worship. They had already accomplished their duties and were heading home. In fact, the story shows their hypocrisy. They had just been to worship God (love God), but did not help the wounded man (love neighbor). His refusal to love his neighbor casts doubt on his love for God. The Priest was an expert in the law and undoubtedly knew of laws like those in Ex 23:4-5 which commanded that you help your enemy’s donkey if he was lost or overburdened, but he was unwilling to help a human in distress. The Levite was also from the tribe responsible for spiritual leadership of the nation. He also would “know” the law and what was required of him. What did they do? Both ignored the wounded man lying in the road. These two represent people caught up in lifeless religion. They play at church, but it does not affect the way that they live. Luke 10:33 "But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, But a Samaritan: Lu 9:52,53 17:16-18 Pr 27:10 Jer 38:7-13 39:16-18 Joh 4:9 8:48 he felt compassion: Lu 7:13 Ex 2:6 1Ki 8:50 Mt 18:33 Multiple Resources on Luke 10 (includes the sermons below) Luke 10:30-37 The Good Samaritan - John MacArthur Luke 10:25-37 Salvation and Good Works - Steven Cole The Good Samaritan - Hampton Keathley IV Luke 10:25-37 The Good Samaritan - C H Spurgeon Luke 10:33 Good News for You - C H Spurgeon Painting by Tissot - click to enlarge THE KEY: A HEART OF COMPASSION Don't forget, Jesus is telling this story to a scribe or lawyer to answer the question, "Who is my neighbor?" But is a term of contrast which marks a striking contrast of the actions ("reactions") of the religious Jews (cp Jas 1:26-27) versus the response of the despised Samaritan (not despised in God's eyes 1 Sa 16:7) A Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion (splanchnizomai) - NKJV = "came where he was"; NET = "came to where the injured man was" NLT has "a despised Samaritan". Came upon him is literally, “came down upon him," emphasizing that the Samaritan did not dodge him. The Samaritans (see map above for location of Samaria) were descendants of colonists whom the Assyrian kings planted in Palestine after the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C. They were despised by the Jews because of their mixed Gentile blood and their different worship, which centered at Mount Gerizim (Jn 4:20-22).

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MacArthur - Depending on the quality of the inn, that amount (two denarii) would have paid for the injured man’s room and board for anywhere from three weeks to two months. Here was still another example of the Samaritan’s generous, compassionate love. But he still was not finished. (See Luke Commentary) Spurgeon “This is my piece of work. I want to finish it, and as I cannot stop will you kindly supply the ready money, and when I come again, I will repay you?” Vincent on I will repay you -"The I [of I will repay] is expressed (ego), and is emphatic. Trouble him not for the reckoning: I will repay."

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MacArthur adds that this short story reveals "the highest priority of the Christian life, that of loving God. It makes a fitting follow-up to the story of the Good Samaritan, which stressed the importance of loving one’s neighbor as evidence of loving God." (See Luke Commentary) Spurgeon sets the context for this compact classic contrast in Luke 10:38-42 of contemplation and work - Our wise Master next returns to the subject of service, and instructs them by the memorable parable of the Good Samaritan and the wounded man. And then as if they might vainly imagine philanthropy, as it is the service of Christ, to be the only service of Christ, and to be the only thing worth living for, He brings in the two sisters of Bethany. The Holy Spirit meant thereby to teach us that while we ought to abound in service, and to do good abundantly to our fellow men, yet we must not fail in worship, in spiritual reverence, in meek discipleship, and quiet contemplation. While we are practical, like the seventy; practical like the Samaritan; practical like Martha, we are also like the Savior, to rejoice in spirit, and say, “Father, I thank You,” (Lk 10:21) and we are also like Mary, to sit down in quietude, and nourish our souls with divine truths. (Martha and Mary) Leon Morris expresses an interesting opinion (but not everyone agrees) - “Luke appears not to have placed it in chronological sequence, for Bethany was near Jerusalem and at a later time Jesus was still far from the capital (Lk 17:11). He might have placed it immediately after the preceding parable as a safeguard against any of his readers coming under the misapprehension that salvation is by works. He makes the point that waiting quietly on the Lord is more important than bustling busy-ness” (Borrow The Gospel According to St. Luke: An Introduction and Commentary - Tyndale NT Commentary) Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village - Who owned the home Jesus visited? Martha (martha)"lady or mistress" is the lady of the house where sister Mary and brother Lazarus lived. We know from John 11:1 that her home was in Bethany. "Located on the Mt. of Olives' eastern slope, Bethany sat “about two miles” (John 11:18NIV) southeast of Jerusalem. Bethany became the final stop before Jerusalem just off the main east-west road coming from Jericho (cp the road which was the location of Jesus' Parable of the Samaritan - Lk 10:30-37). Being at the foot of the mountain, the people could not see Jerusalem, thus giving Bethany a sense of seclusion and quietness. The road between Bethany and Jerusalem provided a ready avenue for travel across Olivet with the journey taking about fifty-five minutes to walk." (Holman Dictionary; cf Wikipedia) And a woman named Martha (martha) welcomed (hupodechomai) Him into her home - Martha welcomed Jesus signifying she rolled out the carpet, putting out the "welcome mat" for her Lord. Welcomed is in the middle voice indicating Martha initiated the welcome and personally involved herself in the carrying out of the welcome. Luke used the same word to describe when Zaccheus' received (hupodechomai) Jesus into his home in Lk 19:6+. Rahab the harlot received (hupodechomai) the Israeli spies into her home (Jas 2:25). As Luke 10:10-12 shows not every village welcomed Jesus or His disciples as did Martha. Alison Trites - As an aside "Jesus urged his followers to practice hospitality (Lk 14:12–14; Mt 25:31–46), and the early church perpetuated this (Ro 12:13; 16:1-2; 1Ti 3:2; 5:10; Titus 1:8; Heb 13:2; 1Pe 4:9; 3Jn 1:5–8)." (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary) Matthew Henry proposes "Though it was expensive to entertain Christ, for he did not come alone, but brought his disciples with him, yet she would not regard the cost of it… Though at this time it was grown dangerous to entertain him, especially so near Jerusalem, yet she cared not what hazard she ran for his name's sake." (Luke 10) Welcomed (5264) (hupodechomai from hupo = under + dechomai = receive, welcome) means to welcome, receive into one's home or one's presence. To entertain hospitably as a guest. The idea is to receive one into one's home hospitably. The basic idea of the root verb dechomai is to "put out the welcome mat" so to speak. The prefix hupo- meaning under conveys the picture of receiving under one's roof or of taking under one's care, "as if placing the hands or arms under a person." (Zodhiates Borrow The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament) All the NT uses refer to receiving someone as a guest in one's home. Jason was dragged before the city authorities and accused of welcoming Paul (Acts 17:6,7-+). Rahab the harlot risked her life when she received the Israeli spies (James 2:25). It is worth noting that Luke does not use hupodechomai to describe Jesus' meal with the Pharisee in Luke 11:37-54, as that meeting was less friendly. Welcome has an interesting etymology - Old English wilcuma "welcome!" exclamation of kindly greeting, from earlier wilcuma (n.) "welcome guest," literally "one whose coming suits another's will or wish," from willa "pleasure, desire, choice" Martha (3136) (martha) most agree means mistress or lady. Zodhiates says that "Martha, the sister of Lazarus and Mary. She seems to have been the eldest of the family, as she is always mentioned before Mary and generally portrayed as the mistress of the house. She was more active in practical life than the younger sister, but was deficient in her concentration on the one thing needful. However, she was sincere, devoted, and beloved by Christ (John 11:5). Although she was somewhat overwhelmed by the distractions of daily life, she at last concentrated her faith in the Savior. See Luke 10:38, 40, 41; John 11:1, 5, 19, 21, 24, 30, 39; 12:2." (Borrow The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament) Martha - 12v - Lk. 10:38; Lk. 10:40; Lk. 10:41; Jn. 11:1; Jn. 11:5; Jn. 11:19; Jn. 11:20; Jn. 11:21; Jn. 11:24; Jn. 11:30; Jn. 11:39; Jn. 12:2 MARTHA - mar'-tha (Martha, "mistress," being a transliteration of the feminine form of mar, "Lord"): Martha belonged to Bethany, and was the sister of Lazarus and Mary (Jn 11:1 f). From the fact that the house into which Jesus was received belonged to Martha, and that she generally took the lead in action, it is inferred that she was the eider sister. Martha was one of those who gave hospitality to Jesus during His public ministry. Thus, in the course of those wanderings which began when "he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerus" (Lk 9:51), he "entered into a certain village"--its name is not stated--and "a certain woman named Martha received him into her house" (Lk 10:38). Martha, whose sense of responsibility as hostess weighed heavily upon her, was "cumbered about much serving," and her indignation was aroused at the lack of assistance given to her by her sister. Her words, "Lord, dost thou not care?" implied a certain reproach to Jesus also, in that she felt He showed a want of sympathy with her efforts and was the cause of Mary's remissness. But Jesus, in tones of gentle reproof, reminded her that for Him not the preparation of an elaborate meal but the hearing of His Word in the spirit of Mary was the "one thing needful" (Lk 10:39-42). Martha is first mentioned by John--the only other Gospel writer who refers to Martha--in his account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead at Bethany (Jn 11:1-44). The narrative indicates, however, that Jesus was already on terms of the closest friendship with her and her household (compare 11:3,5). In the incident which John here records, Martha again displayed her more practical nature by going out to meet Jesus, while Mary sat in the house (11:20). But she was not behind her sister in her love for her brother (11:19), in her faith in Jesus (11:21 f) and in her belief in the final resurrection (11:24). The power of Him, whom she termed the "Teacher," to restore Lazarus to life even upon earth was beyond her understanding. To the words of Jesus concerning this she gave, however, a verbal assent, and went and informed Mary, "The Teacher is here, and calleth thee" (11:27 f). Yet she remained inwardly unconvinced, and remonstrated when Jesus ordered the stone before the grave to be removed (11:39). Jesus then recalled His previous words to her remembrance (11:40), and vindicated them by restoring her brother to life (11:41-44). After the raising of Lazarus, Jesus then made His departure, but after a short stay in Ephraim (11:54) He returned to Bethany (Jn 12:1). While He supped there, Martha once more served, and Lazarus was also present (Jn 12:2). It was on this occasion that Mary anointed the feet of Jesus (Jn 12:3-8). According to Mt 26:6-13; Mk 14:3-9, the anointing took place in the house of Simon the leper, and it has hence been concluded by some that Martha was the wife or widow of Simon. The anointing described in Lk 7:36-50 happened in the house of Simon a Pharisee. But in none of the synoptist accounts is Martha mentioned. For the relationship of these anointings with each other, see MARY, IV. As, according to John, the abode of the sisters was in Bethany, a further difficulty of a topographical nature is raised by those who hold that Luke implies, from the Galilean setting of Lk 10:38-41, that the sisters lived in Galilee. But the information supplied by Luke, upon which this inference is based, is of the vaguest (compare Lk 10:38), and the great division of Luke's Gospel (Lk 9:51 through 18:31) has within it no organic cohesion of parts. In it is mentioned that on two separate occasions Jesus passed through Samaria (Lk 9:52; 17:11). It is therefore more logical to suppose that the events described in Lk 10:38-41, falling within the intervening period, took place in Bethany during an excursion of Jesus to Judea, and formed one of the several visits upon which the friendship recorded in Jn 11:3,5 was built. According to a fragment of a Coptic gospel belonging to the 2nd century (compare Hennecke, Neutestamentliche Apokryphen, 38, 39), Martha was present with the other two Marys at the empty grave of Jesus (compare Mt 28:1,11), and went and informed the disciples. C. M. Kerr QUESTION - Who was Martha in the Bible? ANSWER - Martha is a significant New Testament figure, a personal friend of Jesus, and someone with whom many women today identify. She lived in Bethany with her sister, Mary, and her brother, Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:1–15, 43–44). We meet Martha three times in the Bible, and each event helps to build a profile of this interesting woman. The Bible first mentions Martha in Luke 10. She is in her home in Bethany, a small town near Jerusalem, where she is hosting Jesus and the disciples. Jesus was well-known to Martha and her siblings; in fact, Jesus loved this little family (John 11:5). On the day that Jesus visited, Martha’s desire was to be a good hostess—to serve the best meal with the best possible presentation, for Jesus’ sake. Her sister, Mary, however, was taking some time out to listen to Jesus (Luke 10:39). As Martha “was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made” (Luke 10:40), she became a little cross with Mary and spoke rather abruptly to the Lord: “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (verse 40). In this foolish utterance, Martha implied that Jesus did not care about her, and she gave the Lord a command, demanding that He force Mary to assist in the serving. In her busyness, Martha had taken her eyes off the Savior. Jesus, who was able to see into her soul, diagnosed her problem: she was worried and troubled about the serving and had no peace in her heart. He gently told Martha that a simple dinner was more than adequate, and He reminded her that Mary’s decision to sit at His feet and hear His word was the better choice (verses 41–42). We see Martha again just after her brother, Lazarus, had died (John 11). The sisters had sent for Jesus when Lazarus fell ill (verse 3), but He did not arrive in time to heal him. When Jesus finally approached Bethany, four days after Lazarus’ death, Martha ran out to meet Him and declared, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (John 11:21–22). Notice Martha’s faith: she firmly believed that Jesus could have healed Lazarus of his illness. And her faith is not diminished by the fact that Jesus had arrived “too late.” Jesus encourages Martha with one of His “I AM” statements: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (verses 25–26). Martha’s response is one of great faith and understanding of Jesus’ divine nature: “Yes, Lord . . . I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world” (verse 27). Martha’s faith was rewarded that very day as she witnessed her brother’s miraculous resurrection from the dead (verses 43–44). The third time we encounter Martha in the Bible, she is doing what Martha was known to do—serving (John 12:2). Jesus is again attending a dinner in His honor in Bethany, and Martha is again serving. It is on this occasion that Martha’s sister, Mary, anoints Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume (verse 3). It becomes apparent that Martha was likely a woman of some means, evidenced by the size of her home, the frequency of her hosting dinners, and the expensive perfumed oil her sister owned. In Martha’s life-changing encounters with Jesus, we see the importance of balancing service with worship, of trusting the Lord even when all seems lost, and of using our material resources for the glory of God.GotQuestions.org Spurgeon paraphrases Lk 10:38-42: Martha and Mary were two most excellent sisters, both converted, both lovers of Jesus, both loved by Jesus, for we are expressly told that He loved Mary and Martha, and Lazarus. They were both women of a choice spirit— our Savior’s selection of their house as a frequent resort proved that they were an unusually gracious family; they are persons representative of different forms of excellence, and I think it altogether wrong to treat Martha as some have done, as if she had no love for good things, and was nothing better than a mere worldling. It was not so; Martha was a most estimable and earnest woman, a true believer, and an ardent follower of Jesus whose joy it was to entertain Jesus at the house of which she was the mistress. When our Lord made His appearance on this occasion at Bethany, the first thought of Martha was, “Here is our most noble guest, we must prepare for Him a sumptuous banquet.” Perhaps she marked our Savior’s weariness, or saw some traces of that exhaustion which made Him look so much older than He was, and she therefore set to work with the utmost diligence to prepare a feast for Him. She was careful about many things, and as she went on with her preparations, fresh matters occurred to ruffle her mind, and she became worried; and being somewhat vexed that her sister took matters so coolly, she begged the Master to upbraid her. Now Mary had looked upon the occasion from another point of view; as soon as she saw Jesus come into the house, she thought, “What a privilege have I now to listen eagerly to such a teacher, and to treasure up His precious words! He is the Son of God, I will worship, I will adore, and every word He utters shall be stored in my memory.” She forgot the needs both of the Master and His followers, for her faith saw the inner glory which dwelt within Him. She was so overpowered with reverence, and so wrapt in devout wonder, that she became oblivious of all outward things; she had no faults to find with Martha for being so busy; she did not even think of Martha—she was altogether taken up with her Lord, and with those gracious words which He was speaking. She had no will, either, to censure or to praise, or to think even of herself—everything was gone from her but her Lord and the words which He was uttering. See, then, that Martha was serving Christ, but so was Mary! Martha meant to honor Christ, so did Mary; they both agreed in their design, but they differed in their way of carrying it out, and while Martha’s service is not censured (only her being cumbered comes under the censure), yet Mary is expressly commended, as having chosen the good part; and therefore we do Martha no injustice if we show wherein she came short, and wherein Mary exceeded. Our first observation will be this, the Martha spirit is very prevalent in the church of God just now; in the second place, the Martha spirit very much injures true service; and in the third place, the Mary spirit is the source of the noble form of consecration. (See discussion of these 3 observations - Martha and Mary) Steve

Lucas 10

MacArthur - Mary’s attention was riveted to the most powerful, clear, truthful teacher who ever spoke. Mary demonstrated the attitude of a true believer. (cp Lk 6:47 in contrast to Lk 6:41, cp Lk 8:15, 11:28, James 1:22, 1 Thes 2:13)....Mary understood that the highest priority for a believer is to hear the truth that has come from heaven (cf. John 8:43–47). (See Luke Commentary) Several descriptions in the psalms would befit Mary - But his (her) delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. (Ps 1:2) Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee. (Ps 119:11) O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. (Ps 119:97) Spurgeon eloquently describes Mary's listening - LOVE LISTENING. She is down there in the place of humility, but she is where she can catch each word as it falls, and she is there with one purpose. She wishes to hear all that Christ has to say and she wishes to hear it close at hand. She wants to hear the very tones in which He speaks and the accents with which He delivers each precept. She loves to look up and see those eyes which have such meaning in them and that blessed Countenance which speaks as much as the lips themselves. And so she sits there and she looks with her eyes toward Him as a handmaid’s eyes are to her mistress. And then, with her ears and her eyes, she drinks in what He has to say....Listen to what He is saying to you by Providence.....Listen also to what the Spirit says in your soul. Listen, for it is not till you get your soul quiet that you can hear what the Spirit of God is saying. I have known such a clatter of worldliness or pride, or some other noise in the soul of man, that the still small voice of the Holy Spirit has been drowned to the serious detriment of the disciple..... Some people hear the words but do not receive them—but there sat Mary where, as the words fell, they dropped upon her as snowflakes drop into the sea and are absorbed! So each word of Jesus dropped into her soul and became part and parcel of her nature—they fired and filled her very being! (Love at Leisure) Oh, to be more with Jesus! This is true life. Oh, to hear Jesus more! This is true service. Oh, to love Jesus more! This is true treasure. Oh, to abide with Jesus, and never dream of going beyond him! This is true wisdom. (Notes) Leon

Lucas 10

MacArthur - (Martha's) misguided priorities finally caused Martha to lose the joy of serving. She became more and more flustered, agitated, and frustrated, until finally she became angry. The target of her anger was her sister who, instead of helping with the chores, was sitting there listening to Jesus. (See Luke Commentary) John MacArthur adds that for Martha to "so rebuke the One Who is “compassionate and gracious” (Ex. 34:6; 2 Chr 30:9; Neh. 9:17, 31; Pss. 103:8; 111:4; 116:5; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2) and cares for His people (1 Peter 5:7; cf. Ps. 34:15; Matt. 6:26–30) is one of the most foolish and graceless statements anyone ever made to Jesus.....After falsely accusing Him of not caring, Martha then presumed to tell the Lord exactly what to do, implying that her will and her plans were more important than His. She had lost her perspective; she was totally out of control; her view of reality was severely skewed. Martha was worried about the bread that feeds the body, while Mary’s focus was on the Bread of Life that feeds the soul (cf. John 6:33, 35, 48, 51). (See Luke Commentary) Ivor Powell - Spiritual appetite is always an indication of a healthy soul. In any case, Mary would have been useless in the kitchen, when her heart was in the parlour.

Lucas 10

MacArthur - David’s single focus (Ps 27:4) was on beholding and meditating on the beauty of the Lord, and Paul’s was on pursuing Him so as to be conformed to His likeness. Both are illustrations of the highest priority for believers—the deep, transforming knowledge of God. Ray Pritchard - Note the fierce concentration implicit in his words: “one thing I do.” Here is a secret that applies across the board. To excel in any area of life, a person must say, “This one thing I do,” not “These 20 things I do.” A single-minded focus in any endeavor generally wins a great reward. A great artist must say, “One thing I do.” A gifted teacher must say, “One thing I do.” A championship athlete must say, “One thing I do.” A single parent raising her child must say, “One thing I do.” A student who wants to graduate with honors must say, “One thing I do.” Greatness in any arena comes to those who can say with the Apostle Paul, “One thing I do.” In his case, it meant looking to the heavenly goal of winning the prize. That phrase covers all that God has for us when we finally stand before Jesus Christ and hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord.” One hundred years ago a young man (William Borden of Borden's milk) from a wealthy family entered Yale University. His family intended that after completing his degree he would enter a suitable career in America. But God gripped his heart with the needs of China and he volunteered to go to that country with the gospel, much to the dismay of his family and friends. He left America but never made it to China, succumbing to a disease before reaching that distant shore. After his death, a note was found in his effects that summarized his life: “No reserve, no retreat, no regrets.” I wonder how many of us could say the same thing? Spurgeon on one thing I do - He says, “This one thing I do,” as if he had given up all else, and addicted himself to one sole objective—to aim to be like Jesus Christ. There were many other things Paul might have attempted, but he says, “This one thing I do.” Probably Paul was a poor speaker—why did he not try to make himself a rhetorician? No, he came not with excellence of speech. But you tell me Paul was busy with his tent making. I know he was—what with tent-making, preaching, visiting, and watching night and day, he had more than enough to do. But all these were a part of his pursuit of the one thing—he was laboring to serve his Master perfectly, and to render himself up as a whole burnt offering unto God. I invite every soul that has been saved by the precious blood of Christ to gather up all its strength for this one thing—to cultivate a passion for grace, and an intense longing after holiness. Ah, if we could but serve God as God should be served, and be such manner of people as we ought to be in all holy conversation and godliness, we should see a new era in the church. The greatest need of the church at this day is holiness. (Onward - sermon on Php 3:13-14) James Smith - ONE THING. One Thing Lacking: The inclusiveness of the Lord's claims (Mark 10:21). One Thing Needful. The blessedness of giving the Lord our trust, love and attention (Luke 10:42). One Thing Done. The value of definiteness and concentration upon the things of God (Phil. 3:13). John Butler - One thing is needful refers to the welfare of the soul. Nothing is more important. It is to take precedence over all other concerns in life. Yet, the world puts little priority on the welfare of the soul. They are more likely to call it "the one thing needless" since they put every pursuit in life ahead of spiritual pursuits. However, Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33-+) which expresses heaven's priorities. (Sermon Starters) Charles Simeon on one thing needful - The care of the soul, by whatever terms we describe it, is justly called “the one thing needful.” Were we indeed to judge by the conduct of the world at large, we should rather call it, ‘the one thing needless;’ since every pursuit, however trifling, is preferred before it. But there is nothing of such value as the soul; the whole world, in comparison of it, is a mere vanity. Nor is there any difference in this respect between the rich and the poor: the souls of all are of equal value in the sight of God; all are equally concerned to secure eternal happiness. There is no situation where an attention to our spiritual interests can be dispensed with; no situation wherein the concerns of eternity should not be uppermost in our minds. Other things may be desirable; but the care of the soul is needful, absolutely, universally, and indispensably needful. Chuck Smith - Mary was the one who later, just a week before He was crucified, took a pound of extremely expensive perfume, which Judas estimated the cost several thousand dollars and poured it over the head of Jesus as He sat at supper. Judas claimed that it was a waste and should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus however again defended Mary's expressions of devotion for Him and commanded Judas to leave her alone, she had done this special act of love for His burial. It seems that Mary was always being criticized for her pure devotion for Jesus, but it should be noted that Jesus always stood up for her and defended her love for Him.....When Satan tempted Jesus to turn the stones into bread when He was hungry. Bread was necessary, but Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." With Martha, it was bread alone. Mary had chosen to also listen to the word that came forth from the mouth of God (ED: He Who was "the Living Bread" of God John 6:51). John tells us that Jesus loved Mary and Martha. They shared a special relationship with Him. He loved Martha the doer, and Mary the communer.. They both shared a special place in His heart. He did not like Martha the complainer. If you want to do, that is fine, but don't complain about it. If you give your time to doing, do not neglect the time for communing also. Necessary (Need) (5532)(chreia from chraomai = to use, make use of or chreos = a debt) means a necessity, what is needed or the occasion of need. For (gar) is a term of explanation, in this case explaining the one thing. Mary has chosen the good part - The best dish on the table, fellowship with Jesus! This is the spiritual application of the metaphor of the dishes on the table. Salvation is not "the good portion" for Martha had that also. (Robertson) Henry