Liveblogging The Bible: Luke II

7:3 Why would he have sent the Jewish Elders? This does not seem to be the best way to get Jesus on your side . . .

7:6 well, it worked, I guess.

7:8 But this is the best way to get Jesus on your side: tell him a good parable.

7:22 Is this reluctance still to say, "Yes, I am he."?

7:23 What a curious response. "Blessed is he who takes no offense at me." What does that mean?

7:24 there seems to be something in this verse lost in translation. What possible meaning could "A reed shaken by the wind" have?

7:28 So, was Jesus not born of women?

7:30 So the Pharisees allowed themselves to be baptized by John, but not by Jesus.

7:32 this parable has never worked for me. The implication seems to be that there is no pleasing some people, but the person in the parable whom there is no pleasing is the one being sung to , not the one singing. Whereas in the application, Jesus seems to imply that the "generation" is addressing John and him saying "you're no fun!"

7:35 another non sequitir, ala vs.23. I wonder if these would mean something all put together?

7:40 I think Luke was quite convinced of Jesus' telepathy.

7:50 From what was this woman saved by her faith? From sin? Surely not.

8:1-3 The men followed for different reasons than the women it seems: the men were called, the women moved by gratitude. Maybe the woman in 7:50 was saved from loneliness :)

8:10 or he didn't want to say directly what he was thought about the hooey polloi.

8:11 By "The Word of God", did Jesus mean himself?

8:21 Much different than other versions. Luke's Jesus requires more from people than jsut showing up.

8:25 are they just now getting it?

8:39 here's the shift from "tell no one" to "oh, alright. You can tell people."

8:46 this remains one of the most fascinating verse. Jesus' power is A.) limited B.) passively active C.) perceptible. Certainly one of the few reputable insights into metaphysical science.

8:50 this does discredit to the idea that Jesus merely perceived that she was in a coma. He knows before he gets there that she is resurrectable.

8:51 this seems to indicate that Luke would have had to talk to one of these five for his sources; he even details that there was laughter.

I am developing a perception of Jesus as Neo from The Matrix. The secret to his power seems just to be that he doesn't see the spoon. He believes this or that and it is so.

9:1 this would seem to belie my previous statement. The power, as it is seen here, is an actual thing, something that can be given.

9:7 I seem to remember there being more to this piece of the story . ..

9:13 Jesus does not seem to have performed this type of trick before. No wonder the disciples were unable to do it.

9:21 In verse 2, he had just told them to go out an proclaim "the kingdom of God", but the details of his Messiahship seem to still be Verboten--even this late into his ministry. Perhaps he doesn't want to spoil the surprise for everybody.

9:25 not the translation I'm used to: "themselves" instead of "their souls"

9:28 So if the transfiguration is "the kingdom of Gos" from verse 27 and, presumably, vs. 2, the what is the Messiahship? The resurrection? Wasn't I asking all of these same questions in Mark?

9:30 How would they recognize Moses and Elijah?

9:34 they entered the cloud? Walked into the pillar of cloud? Not the visual I am used to associating with this scene.

9:40 One of the more troubling accounts. Whom was Jesus berating? His disciples? If so, it seems like he owes them an apology afterward.

9:42 missing from this version: the rebuke not to tell anyone who he is

9:44-45 Jesus seems very intent on them understanding this message, so what agency was concealing it from them?

9:50 I need to remember this sometimes. It's very Zen

9:51-56 This section is weird. Does "set his face" have a connotation which is lost?

9:57-62 these three accounts are uncharacteristically related. It seems as though Luke is engaging in a bit of editing here, placing them together in the narrative for thematic purposes.

10:1 By definition, these 70 should be called "apostles" too

10:4 why greet no one on the road? I thought this was an evangelizing trip.

10:11 This is "the kingdom of God" used in a different way. Before, it's reported presence has always coincided with Jesus' presence.

10:18 Is this vision the same as the vision John later has in Revelation? In which case, who was foreseeing, and who was aftseeing?

10:20 This seems to be in direct contradiction of the practice of snake handling. Jesus says not to rejoice in the ability to handle snakes and such.

10:21-24 The fact that several of the quotations in Luke are non sequitirs or even appear not to make any sense actually lends the book an air of credibility. It's as if Luke thought, "Well, I'm not sure why he said this, but I had better include it."

10:25 How does Luke know that he was testing? It sounds like a perfectly honest question to me.

10:27 But there is no mention of eternal life in the law, nor scarcely any mention of a reward at all.

10:36 This corollary doesn't quite follow. The man asks who a man's neighbor is. Jesus answers that the Samaritan was the mans neighbor. Are our neighbors those who treat us wellthen? this is nitpicky, I know. It's still a good parable.

10:42 I like this part. There truly is only need of one thing.

11:3-8 I had not put these two thoughts together in my mind heretofore. It actually gives some cachet to the practice of rote prayer, though. The Witnesses had always said that Jesus was just giving an example, not a specific prayer, and that prayers should be composed from the heart instead of repeated. Jesus clearly says otherwise here, and he says it in connection with a specific prayer, sooooo . . . why not that one?

11:9 Totally in line with Ernest Holmes' concept of affirmative prayer. Yes, you don't get a scorpion when asking for an egg, but you may well get a scorpion when asking for a scorpion.

11:16 as though he hadn't just taken someone off of mute . . .

11:17 I really should be counting these occurrences.

11:23 At first I wondered why he would even bother to answer such charges, but he turns it right around in this verse rather beautifully.

11:24 And then turns it into a teaching moment without missing a beat.

11:31 The Witnesses always considered this a prophecy, but it sure feels more like a metaphor here.

11:29 Just when I was about to wonder why he's revealing these things--after concealilng them for so long--he answers. Jesus is reading my mind too!

11:45 Wow, that's one awkward dinner party.

11:53 I suppose I would be too after that.

12:7 In context, this parable has a fairly ominous tone.

12:8 and this definitely confirms a change in tone. He feels almost vengeful here.

12:12 There are a few times in my life where my words have been given to me spontaneously. I don't know where they came from, but they changed my life each time. I'm sure that's what is meant here.

12:13 Ooh, this would piss me off if I were Jesus. Here I am trying to impart the secrets of the universe, and some brat yelss, "Daaaaad, he's touching meeeeee!"

12:14-15 But he does two great pedagogical things instead: he refuses to get sucked in, and he turns it into a teachable moment.

12:18 hehe. I used to think he pulled down his barns so he could use the wood from the barns to make bigger ones. But then how did he make bigger ones? this perplexed me as a youth.

12:24 Why repeat this parable? Is it of special significance? It is certainly of great elegance and brevity.

12:25 Possibly the most epigrammatic verse in the whole book so far.

12:31 Ah, but you have never been quite clear what you mean by "the kingdom".

12:39-40 But don't stress or anything . . . the balance that needs to be struck between being present and surrendering is one that escapes most.

12:42 This is pretty Socratic of him.

12:49 Again with this side! Not attractive.

12:50 Well, that does make it understandable. Even humanizing . . .

12:56 I feel like he's about to cry. Wow, The Buddha never had mood swings.

12:57 whoawhoawhoa. What just happened here? This has no perceptible relation to the preceding narrative.