Luke 16:14-31 Dear RTB’ers, Today, the rich man and Lazarus. My Study Bible had an interesting comment on this “rich man and Lazarus” passage. That comment begins, “If this is a parable…”. I had always read or heard this passage as a parable, but there is no indication in Luke that Jesus is speaking a …
Category Archives: RTB 2024 – Search the Scriptures, Part 1
February 28 / Luke 16:1-13
Luke 16:1-13 Dear RTB’ers, I’ve often said that Luke is my favorite gospel. Part of that is his historical bent and his desire to “get it right” (Luke 1:1-4). But I’m sure it’s also because of his focus on money and his concern for the poor and my own life as an economist. Today’s readings …
February 27 / Luke 15
Luke 15 Dear RTB’ers, Today, three parables. The first of these, the Lost Sheep is also included in Matthew’s gospel, but the other two you’ll find only in Luke. When Jesus is recounting parables to His listeners, he is actually making up stories. Yet His stories have stood the test of time. The Prodigal Son …
February 26 / Luke 14:25-35
Luke 14:25-35 Dear RTB’ers, Jesus speaking to a great crowd: Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple. (v. 27) We’ve all heard sermons as to what Jesus means by each of us bearing our own cross. I can’t say even now that I understand what Jesus means …
February 25 / Luke 14:1-24
Luke 14:1-24 Dear RTB’ers, But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, …
February 24 / Luke 13:18-35
Luke 13:18-35 Dear RTB’ers, He went on His way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. (Luke 13:22) Almost a month ago we saw that Jesus had set His face toward Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51) My Study Bible noted that He is now in a region known as Perea, a narrow strip of land …
February 23 / Luke 13:1-17
Luke 13:1-17 Dear RTB’ers, Jesus speaking: “No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 12:3,5) It’s a small thing, but I can’t recall any other incidents in the gospels where Jesus message is “repent”. He often speaks of “the Kingdom” and He has various ways where He speaks of …
February 22 / Luke 12:35-59
Luke 12:35-59 Dear RTB’ers, “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”(v. 48b) There is two-step expectation here, “given much” and “entrusted much”. If you’ve been given much, yes, much will be required. But being “entrusted with much” …
February 21 / Luke 12:13-34
Luke 12:13-34 Dear RTB’ers, It is hard for me to post a comment on a daily reading when almost the entire reading is Jesus’ teachings. Today we have more of His teachings that are parallel to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. Matthew’s gospel has this Sermon isolated into three chapters (Matthew 5, 6, and 7), …
February 20 / Luke 11:53-12:12
Luke 11:53-12:12 Dear RTB’ers, In yesterday’s reading Jesus connected his listeners, the Pharisees and lawyers, back to the Old Testament, “…so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the …