Page 97 - Advanced Life of Christ - Student Textbook

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 to five 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.

While opposition from the religious leaders increased, so did Jesus’ popularity among the masses of
people pressing at this time. As His death drew near, Jesus remained popular as a great healer and
teacher. “When they bring you before the synagogues, rulers and authorities do not worry about how
you will defend yourself or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you
should say”. (Luke 12:11)

In Luke 13 Jesus talked about the tower in Siloam which was presumably located near the pool of Siloam
(pictured left). The Gihon spring was a major water source for the city of Jerusalem from the time of
David and Solomon. In fact, it was through this spring that David was able to enter Jerusalem and defeat
the Jebusites and take control of the city. Water was channeled from the western side of the Kidron
Valley outside Jerusalem and collected in reservoirs or pools.

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