Page 57 - Life of Christ w videos

notorious for its danger and difficulty. It took about 8 hours to cover the distance of 15 miles with a
change of elevation of 3400 feet or 1060 meters. There were many switchbacks and hiding places for
thieves so normally people traveled in groups for personal protection. In the story, a Jewish man, we
presume, was traveling down the path when he was attacked by robbers and badly beaten to the point
of death. A priest and a Levite, both who knew and studies the Law, passed by sharing no compassion.
Finally, a Samaritan, the least likely to show compassion, came to the man, dressed his wounds with
wine and oil, put the man on his animal to take him to an inn for a time of healing.

Jesus was drawing a strong contrast between those who knew the Law but did not heed the Law, and
those who obeyed the Law in showing mercy. Jesus was telling the scribe to live the Law out in his life.
It is the same message of James who said that faith without works is a dead and unreal faith.

From this location, Jesus and the disciples came to a village called Bethany where they stayed with
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. This home would become very strategic to Jesus during the week of His
passion and He seemed to be preparing for that final week. Bethany lies on the backside of the Mount
of Olives, about 1.25 miles away from Jerusalem or about a 40-minute walk.

While on this journey, Jesus prayed in a certain place. His discipled had observed Him numerous times
praying and learned from the Master. It was at this time that His disciples asked Him to teach them how
to pray. Jesus not only did so but gave them illustrations about why their heavenly Father desires to
answer their prayers.

During Jesus’ Judean ministry, the Gospel writers share with us the bulk of Jesus’ teachings. Luke is 24
chapters long, yet the Judean ministry begins in chapter 9 to the end of the book. So, while the Gospel
narrations to be presented in the balance of this course fall in the last few months of Jesus’ life, we will
view more of His teaching than in the previous three years.

Open Encounters with the Jewish Leadership (Luke 11:14-36; Luke 11:37-54; Luke 12; Luke
13:1-9; Luke 13:10-21)

Luke records several miracles and teaching times as well as the constant hostile response of the Jewish
leadership. Remember, this was just months before Jesus’ death and Jesus was traveling in the region
very close to Jerusalem, where the Pharisaic leadership was entirely committed to rejecting Christ.

The events in Judea are very similar to that related to the “unpardonable sin” in Galilee. The Pharisees
had no explanation for Jesus’ miracles, but rejected them as being from God. As in Galilee, they
attribute His power to Beelzebub, the prince of demons. They also majored on the day He was
conducting these miracles (the Sabbath) rather than on the healing of a person. There was no Law in
the Scriptures that forbade healing a person on the Sabbath.

Jesus was invited to eat with a Pharisee but did not wash His hands or feet. In doing so, he
demonstrated how dirty the hearts of the religious leaders were. Jesus pronounced His “woes” against
the Pharisees and in response, they began to increase their opposition against Him and questioned Him
continually, trying to find a cause for destroying Him by something He might say.

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