26 October

Bible in 365 Days

Luke 6-7

Luke 6

In a synagogue our Lord healed the man with a withered hand, and the religious watchers were filled with anger because, according to their view, our Lord had desecrated the Sabbath. Surely, there is no desecration of divine ordinances so powerful as that severe orthodoxy which clogs the stream of compassion. By fulfilling its intention, the Lord of the Sabbath sacredly kept it in restoring this man to health and power.

Luke gives us here the account of our Lord's choosing of the twelve. It is instructive and revealing that Luke tells us that our Lord preceded this election by a night of prayer. In the arrangement of the names we notice that they were placed in double harness, two by two, yet there was but one apostolate.

We have next our Lord's discourse to His disciples, delivered in the hearing of the crowd. The difference between this address and the Sermon on the Mount is, among other things, in the omission here of all contrast between the old system and the new. Here we have the great principles for the blessing of humanity at large. Jesus ended His charge by a claim, quiet in its assumption of authority, and startling also, as He revealed the character which will abide in spite of all storms. Carefully note the threefold condition.

1. "Every one that cometh to Me." surrender.

2. "And heareth My words," discipleship.

3. "And doeth them," obedience.

Luke 7

Here our Lord passed over the national boundary to bring blessing to the household of a Roman centurion. Of that man the elders said, "He is worthy." The man said, "I am not worthy." Jesus Said, "I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." It certainly is a wonderful story, showing that the principle of faith is supreme over all privileges of race and birth.

Two crowds are seen meeting outside the city of Nain, one, the Master, His disciples, and a great multitude, approaching the gates; the other, a dead son, his mother, and many people of the city, issuing forth from the gates. As they met, life triumphed over death, sorrow was turned into joy.

Luke now tells of how John sent an inquiry to Jesus which unquestionably was born of his perplexity over the methods of our Lord. Jesus' reply was first that of continuing the work that He was doing, then of speaking of the greatness of John, and finally of seeking from him faith, even though intellectually he might be perplexed.

The scene in the house of Simon the Pharisee is very full of beauty as it reveals our Lord dealing with two entirely different personalities- Simon, cold, dispassionate, satisfied with his own integrity; the woman, conscious of her sinful past, rejoicing in her forgiveness and pouring on Jesus the evidences of her love. Our Lord Himself contrasts the two in the most striking way, revealing the value of moral cleansing as leading to the victory of love.