Luke 20:27-47 &Luke 21:1-4
Q.1. How did Jesus expose the blindness of the Sadducees? What insights did Jesus give about life beyond the grave? – (Lk.20:27-40)
The question from the Sadducees was hypocritical because their well-worn question disguised their unbelief in the resurrection (Lk.20:27-33). Jesus demolished their argument by speaking with authority about the life hereafter. As with the angels, gender will not be an issue. There will be no marriage in the next life (Lk.20:34-35). He added – 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 Now He is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live to Him (Lk.20:37-38). Jesus expressed absolute confidence in the inspiration and truthfulness of the Scriptures.
Q.2. How did Jesus use the Scriptures to point to His Sonship and deity? – (Lk.20:41-44)
The religious leaders could quote the Psalms with ease. They had tried to trap Him (Lk.20:20). Jesus then took the attack to them by explaining the truth of Psalm 110:1: The verse makes no sense when it is interpreted to refer to David as they did – Therefore David calls Him `Lord,’ and how is He his son? (Lk.20:44). Here David recorded Yahweh, the Covenant keeping God, as speaking to the Messiah whom David calls His God. Jesus applied it by claiming deity as God’s Son whom God will make Champion over all His foes (Lk.20:42-44 c.f. Ps.110:1).
Q.3. What was it about the Scribes that drew the condemnation of Jesus? – (Lk.20:45-47)
In front of all the people, Jesus denounced these religious elite, by homing in on their pride and hypocrisy (Lk.20:46-47). They were religious but violated their own summing up of the Law to love others, by taking advantage of the defenceless and needy (Lk.20:47 c.f. Lk.10:25-28).
Q.4. How did Jesus surprise His disciples about gift giving? What principle governs generous giving? – (Lk.21:1-4)
Jesus was concerned to teach His disciples the meaning of real giving (Lk.21:1-3) The disciples would have considered that the size of the gift would be the factor that impressed God. However, Jesus drew attention to a poor widow who gave two copper coins. This gift He valued the most highly – 3 … “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; 4 for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on” (Lk.21:3-4). The giving of the widow cost her the most. Jesus puts our giving into perspective.