Luke 11:29-54
Q.1. What point was Jesus making to His hearers when referring to the Queen of Sheba and the people of Nineveh? – (Lk.11:29-32)
Christ’s assessment of the people of Jerusalem was that they were wicked. That is a strong statement of condemnation. It should make us ask why Jesus spoke thus. Jesus already had fulfilled many of the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah, so these people should not have been demanding more signs. Now, the ‘sign of Jonah’ pointing to His time in the tomb followed by the resurrection was all they would be given (see Lk.11:29-30). Their disbelief was such an insult, compared with the sacrifices that the Queen of Sheba made to visit King Solomon. Jesus was worthy of so much more respect (see Lk.11:31). The Ninevites honoured the preaching of Jonah by repenting. However, God’s own people, were unmoved by One so much greater than Jonah (see Lk.11:32 c.f. Jn.1:11).
Q.2. What was Jesus teaching about light and darkness? – (Lk.11:33-36)
Light dispels the darkness, so that we may walk safely and without stumbling. Clear eyesight is like a lamp that leads the way, whereas poor eyesight leads to stumbling. Jesus instructed the people to recognize that the Truth is a light which would keep them from falling (see Lk.11:33-36).
Q.3. Why was it so difficult to penetrate the hearts of the Pharisees and Scribes? Why was their approach to religion such a stumbling block? – (Lk.11:37-46)
This incident happened while having a meal at a Pharisees house. The host expressed his surprise and disapproval of Christ’s failure to wash Himself ceremonially according to their tradition (see Lk.11:37-38). The condemnation of the Scribes and Pharisees was an act of grace on the part of Jesus. He denounced their failure to address their evil hearts with their preoccupation on showy externals (see Lk.11:39-44). He was giving them an opportunity to repent. Because Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus heeded the warning, salvation was extended to them (see Jn.19:38-42). The leaders purported to be the experts. They made a great show of their religious observance, even though their hearts were far from God. In doing this, they caused the common people to stumble. Their focus was on what they did rather than on what God in grace had done for the nation and for unworthy sinners. A lawyer took exception to Christ’s denunciation of the religious elite. That prompted further condemnation (see Lk.11:45-46).
Q.4. In what ways had these religious leaders removed the key to knowledge? Was Jesus the first they persecuted? – (verses 47-54)
Jesus summed up these false leaders as those who – have taken away the key to knowledge … you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering (Lk.11:52). The religious leaders of the days of Jesus showed the same heart attitude as that of the persecutors of God’s prophets (see Lk.11:47-48). In a remarkable prophecy proving that Jesus knew He would indeed build His church, He predicted – I will send to them the prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and some they will persecute. So that the blood of all the prophets shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation (Lk.11:49-50). Small wonder that they plotted the removal of the convicting voice of Jesus.