Luke 5
OGC**Butler’s Comments
Chapter Five
(Luke 5:1-39)**
THE SON OF MAN CATCHING MEN
IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:
If the fishermen had fished all night and caught nothing, why did they try their nets where Jesus suggested (Luke 5:5)?
Why did Peter want Jesus to depart from him (Luke 5:8)?
What is leprosy (Luke 5:12)?
Why did Jesus send the cleansed leper to the priest (Luke 5:14)?
What is a Pharisee (Luke 5:17)?
Why did Jesus say first to the paralyzed man, Your sins are forgiven (Luke 5:20)?
What is Jesus illustrating with the new garment and new wine (Luke 5:33-39)?
**Applebury’s Comments
CHAPTER FIVE
Outline**
A.
Luke told about two more incidents that happened in Galilee (Luke 5:1-16).
The miraculous catch of fish (Luke 5:1-11).
a)
It happened at the lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1-2).
(1)
The crowd was pressing upon Jesus in order to hear the word of God.
(2)
Jesus was standing on the shore of the lake.
(3)
He saw two boats by the shore.
(4)
The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.
b)
Jesus taught the people from one of the boats (Luke 5:3).
(1)
He got into Simon’s boat and asked him to row it a little way from the shore.
(2)
He sat down and taught the people from the boat.
c)
By miraculous power, Jesus enabled the disciples to catch a multitude of fish (Luke 5:4-7).
(1)
He told Simon to put out into the deep and let down the nets for the catch.
(2)
Simon protested, Master we toiled all night and caught nothing, but at your word we will let down the nets.
(3)
The miraculous catch of fishso many that the nets were breaking and the filled boats were about to sink.
d)
The effect of the miracle on Simon Peter (Luke 5:8-10 a).
(1)
He fell down at Jesus-’ knees and said, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
(2)
His partners, James and John, were also amazed.
e)
The lesson drawn from the miracle (Luke 5:10 b - Luke 5:11).
(1)
Jesus said, Fear not; from henceforth you will catch men.
(2)
The disciples brought their boats to land and, leaving all, followed Him.
The healing of a leper (Luke 5:12-16).
a)
The man was full of leprosy.
b)
When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and said, If you will, you can make me clean.
c)
Jesus touched him and said, I will; be clean. And the leprosy left him.
d)
Jesus told him to tell no one, but to show himself to the priest as Moses had commanded.
e)
The effect of the miracle.
(1)
The report of it went everywhere.
(2)
The crowds came to hear and to be healed.
(3)
Jesus withdrew where He could be alone to pray.
B.
He told of the beginning of the complaints against Jesus (Luke 5:17-39).
The complaint about healing a paralytic (Luke 5:17-26).
a)
The circumstances of the miracle (Luke 5:17-20).
(1)
Jesus was teaching.
(2)
Pharisees and doctors of the law were present.
(3)
The power of the Lord was with Him to heal.
(4)
A paralytic was let down through the roof into the presence of Jesus.
(5)
Jesus said, Man, your sins are forgiven.
b)
Jesus answered the complaint of the Pharisees (Luke 5:21-24).
(1)
They asked, Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God?
(2)
Jesus answered them.
(a)
He asked, Why reason ye in your minds?
(b)
He gave them something to think about: Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven; or to say, Arise and walk?
(c)
He had performed the miracle to show that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.
(d)
Then He gave His command of authority, Arise, take up your bed and go to your house.
c)
The effect of the miracle (Luke 5:25-26).
(1)
The man arose and departed glorifying God.
(2)
Amazement seized all, and they glorified God.
(3)
They were filled with fear and said, We have seen strange things today.
The complaint about associating with publicans (Luke 5:27-32).
a) The circumstances (Luke 5:27-29).
(1)
Jesus saw Levi the publican and said to him, Follow me.
(2)
Levi, whose other name was Matthew, arose and followed Him.
(3)
Levi gave a great reception for Jesus and invited a crowd of publicans and others.
b)
Jesus answered the complaint of the Pharisees (Luke 5:30-32).
(1)
The Pharisees and their scribes, muttering complaints, said to the disciples of Jesus, Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
(2)
Jesus answered them.
(a)
They that are in health have no need of a physician; but they that are sick.
(b)
I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
The complaint about fasting (Luke 5:33-39).
a)
The circumstances (Luke 5:33).
(1)
The Pharisees and scribes said, John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast and pray.
(2)
Their complaint: Your disciples eat and drink.
b)
Jesus answered them (Luke 5:34-39).
(1)
By reference to weddings: Men do not fast while the bridegroom is with them; but, when he is taken away.
(2)
By reference to a patch on a garment: Putting a new patch on an old garment or new wine into old wine skinsthis is not done.
(3)
Those who have drunk the old wine will say that it is goodthey do not want to see any change in the time-honored custom of fasting!
Summary
The chapter begins with the account of two dramatic incidents in Jesus-’ Galilean ministry of healing and teaching. It continues with the account of the beginnings of the tide of complaint against Him that reached its crest at Calvary. On the shores of Lake Genessaret, a crowd had gathered to hear Jesus speak the word of God. He sat in Simon Peter’s boat and taught the people. When He finished speaking, He said to Peter, Put out into the deep and let down the nets for a catch. Peter, experienced fisherman that he was, said, We toiled all night and took nothing, but if you say so we will let down the nets again. They did and the miracle took place! So many fish were caught that the nets were breaking and the boats were beginning to sink. When Peter saw it, he fell on his knees before Jesus and said, Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man. But Jesus said, From now on you shall catch men. Then the disciples left all and followed Him. A man who was full of leprosy came up to Jesus and said, If you will, you can make me clean. Jesus said, I will; be clean. And again a miracle happened; his leprosy was gone! Jesus told him to tell no one, but go and show himself to the priest. Instead, he told everybody what happened, and crowds came to hear Jesus and to be healed. Then Jesus withdrew into a lonely place to pray. The great popularity of Jesus was bound to arouse the opposition of the leaders of the Jews. He healed a paralytic after He had forgiven his sins, but they complained that He was speaking blasphemies. They reasoned that only God could forgive sins, but they were unaware of the deity of Jesus and that the Son of Man had authority on earth to forgive sins. They complained about His association with publicans, but Jesus answered, Those who are in good health do not need a physician, but the sick do. They complained that He did not observe the time-honored custom of fasting, but He answered by showing that fasting was out of place while He, the bridegroom, was present. The time would come, however, when fasting would be appropriate. He implied that He would not be with them always, for He was going to the Father. His answers to the complaints were clear and adequate, but the enemy was interested only in destroying any confidence the people might have in Him. They kept it up until the people were persuaded at His trial to cry out, Away with him; let Him be crucified.
Questions
Under what circumstances did Jesus teach the lesson about becoming fishers of men?
Where did Jesus do most of His teaching?
What are the other names for the Sea of Galilee?
What name did Luke use.
How did Jesus use the miracle of catching fish to teach the lesson about fishers of men?
Why did Peter protest when Jesus said, Put out into the deep and let down the nets for a catch?
What is the meaning of the word master which Peter used in addressing Jesus?
How does it differ in meaning from Lord?
How did Peter show his confidence in Jesus?
What did Peter say when he saw that a miracle had happened?
What basic mistake did he make?
What proof is there that it was a genuine miracle?
When did Jesus perform another miracle like it?
What was Peter’s response at that time?
Who were the sons of Zebedee? What were they to Peter?
Although the word catch literally means take alive, what point did Jesus make in using it?
What did the disciples do after they witnessed the miracle?
What are the facts about the cure of leprosy in Bible times?
In what ways is the disease of leprosy like sin?
What were the O. T. regulations about leprosy and its cure?
Who are the three O. T. characters who were stricken with leprosy because of their acts of sin?
What did the leper say to Jesus?
Why did Jesus forbid him to tell about his healing?
Why did he disobey?
Why do some disobey the gospel command to tell the good news to all the world?
What was Jesus-’ attitude toward all the sick who were brought to Him?
Why did He withdraw to a quiet place?
How was Luke able to write such vivid accounts of the ministry of Jesus?
What are some of the facts about Jesus-’ prayers?
How can the story of Jesus become a living reality to us?
What was the primary purpose of Jesus miracles?
Why did Jesus and the apostles teach in the synagogues of the Jews?
Who were the Pharisees?
What are the beliefs of the Pharisees and the Sadducees?
Who were the scribes? What was their work?
Where was the principal opposition to Jesus located?
Why did Jesus carry on the greater part of His ministry in Galilee?
What is meant by seeing their faith?
Why did Jesus forgive the sins of the paralytic before He healed him?
Explain the reasoning of those who said that Jesus had spoken blasphemies.
What is meant by the heart as the term is used in Scripture?
How does the gospel act upon the heart?
Which was easier for Jesus to say, Your sins are forgiven or Arise and walk?
Why did Jesus say to the paralytic, Arise and walk?
What was the reaction of the people to the miracle of healing the paralytic?
Who was Levi? What was his other name?
What did Levi do after becoming a follower of Jesus?
What was the attitude of the Pharisees when they saw Jesus at Levi’s feast?
How did Jesus answer their complaint?
How did Jesus answer the complaint about fasting?
What was implied by His remark?
What does the Bible say about fasting on the part of Christians?
Luke 5:1-11
**Butler’s Comments
SECTION 1
Challenging Men (Luke 5:1-11)**
5 While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. 2And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’S, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. 5And Simon answered, Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. 6And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets wre breaking, 7they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus-’ knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men. 11And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
**Luke 5:1-3 Teaching: **The great popularity of Jesus made people continually hound Him for healing or some other great miracle. Luke notes that crowds followed Jesus down to the shore of the lake of Gennesaret and there pressed upon Him.
Gennesaret is a Hebrew name meaning, princely garden. It is also the name of a very fertile plain three miles long and one-half mile wide on the northwestern shore of the lake. Luke very accurately calls it a lake. It is also known as the Sea of Galilee, the Sea of Tiberias, and in the Old Testament as the Sea of Chinnereth, (meaning, harpshaped). It is a fresh-water lake resting 680 feet below sea level surrounded by mountains so that it resembles a huge bowl. The lake swarmed with fish of many different verities. Barclay notes that in it were found shoals of fish covering as much as an acre. The lake is about 13 miles long and 9 miles wide at its widest point. In Christ’s day nine cities of 15,000 or more stood on its shores. It was the scene of much of Jesus-’ Galilean ministries. It is noted for its sudden and violent storms caused by cold air sweeping down from the vast northern plateaus and converging with the tropical humidity of the lake 680 feet below sea level. The crowds pushing and pressing made it impossible for Jesus to find a place to stand where all could see and hear Him. He saw two empty fishing boats. The fishermen were out on the shore washing their nets after a long night of fishing and catching nothing. Jesus stepped into one of the boats; it belonged to Simon Peter (the other boat probably belonged to John and James). This is not the first time Jesus met these Galilean fishermen. He asked Peter to push the boat out into the lake a little way. Then Jesus sat down and began to teach. The Greek imperfect verb edidasken means Jesus kept on teaching the people. Luke does not record what Jesus said. But apparently what He taught had some connection to the great miracle which followed immediately. He must have taught things which pointed to His identity as the Messiah, for when He ceased speaking words He began teaching by sign and portent what He wanted to communicate: He is Lord! He desires that men leave all and follow Him!
Luke 5:4-7 Testing: Luke, the world traveler, notes that Jesus used the word epanagage a definite Greek nautical term meaning, put to sea, set sail, launch forth, (cf. Luke 8:22; Acts 13:13; Acts 16:11; Acts 18:21, etc.). Jesus instructed the fishermen to row out to the deep (Gr. bathos) part of the lake which could be as much as 150 ft. deep and let down their nets. Here is a landlubber telling experienced fishermen how to fish!
Fishing was one of the three major industries of Galilee (along with agriculture and sheep-herding). Fishermen had an honorable place in society. They had a reputation of being seriously religious. There had been fishermen in Israel beyond the memory of man. Job, Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Habakkuk all speak of fishermen and their work. The tools of their trade, the back-breaking toil and the many fruitless hours, demanded strong, rough, tough, fearless, patient men. The daily experiences of fishermen taught them to be hard-headed realists. These character traits coupled with a lack of formal higher education would make them unlikely candidates for positions of leadership in the estimation of most people. Yet these are the very men Jesus chose to be apostles! The humble heart of a servant is fundamentally more significant to Jesus than all the erudition and charm in the world. The Israelites chose their first king on the basis of charm and not character (1 Samuel 8:1-22; 1 Samuel 9:1-27) and the results were tragic!
It was, therefore, a real test of their character when Jesus commanded, … let down your nets for a catch. Peter answered, Master (Gr. epistata, meaning one who has the right to command, or captain) we toiled all night and took nothing! Peter uses the Greek word kopiasantes which means to labor strenuously until one is weary and sore. Peter was tired. But Peter acknowledged the authority of Jesus to demand his trust even in the face of what seemed impossible, and at the word of Jesus let down the net once more that day.
How had Peter arrived at this relationship with Jesus? Peter and Andrew, James and John had been directed to Jesus by John the Baptist a year (or more) previous to this encounter (John 1:35 ff). From that first encounter near the time of Jesus-’ baptism (December 26 A.D.), they followed Him, heard His teaching and saw many of His miracles for about a year. These fishermen saw Him make water into wine (John 2:1-25) and cleanse the Temple; do many miracles in Judea (John 3:2); preach to Nicodemus and the woman at the well (John 3:1-36; John 4:1-54); and perhaps they witnessed the healing of the Capernaum nobleman’s son (John 4:1-54). After that they apparently returned to their fishing businesses on the Sea of Galilee while Jesus conducted His early Galilean ministry (Luke 4:1-44). Peter’s acknowledgement of Jesus-’ captaincy was not an emotional, spur-of-the-moment whimit was based on solid evidence which he had witnessed with his own eyes and ears.
Obedience to the word of Jesus brought into their nets such a huge quantity of fish the nets began to tear and come apart (Gr. dierresseto). They had to motion (Gr. kateneusan, nodding the head vigorously) to their partners to come help. Galilean fishermen had to form partnerships to have the capital to buy equipment and to carry out the extremely difficult labor. In speaking of such teamwork Luke uses two words, metochois (partners Luke 5:7) and koinonoi (sharers Luke 5:10); literally the words would be have with and participate with respectively. The boats were filled so full they were sinking, In verse six the literal description of the catch is, they enclosed a multitude of fishes, a much.
Luke 5:8-11 Turning: Although Peter had undoubtedly witnessed miracles by Jesus before (see above), this miracle on his own home grounds, involving his own vocation, his own boat and his own close associates, had profound impact on the deepest recesses of his personality. Here was One who had demonstrated supernatural sovereignty over matters which touched the most intimate aspects of Peter’s life. Surely He was Lord! Peter was a realist, but he was also a man of deep feeling and religious devotion. Recognizing Jesus as Lord implicated Peter as a sinful man in the presence of Deity! Peter knew what Isaiah knew (Isaiah 6:1 ff)God is absolutely holy, man is unholy and in need of forgiveness. This was a turning point in Peter’s life! Jesus had never before challenged anyone to leave all and follow Him, but He was about to do so.
Matthew and Mark record that Jesus said, Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men. Luke adds these words of Jesus, Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men. Jesus used the Greek word zogron which means literally, capturing alive. The word is used in reference to the devil’s capturing people (2 Timothy 2:26). Apparently the emphasis is on securing and saving the lives of men for one purpose or another. Jesus wants men captured alive for Him that He may give them eternal blessedness. The devil wants to trap men alive to take them with him to eternal torment (Revelation 20:10). These fishermen added up all the evidence they had of who Jesus was and made the most momentous decision of their lives. They left everything else in second place and made Him and His will first in their lives. They went with Him to assist Him in His divine mission. They turned from being fishermen to become fishers of men.
The great Fisherman, Christ; His disciples, fishers; the world of men pictured as fish; these were favorite images of Christian artists and writers of the first centuries of the church. One of the earliest extant Christian hymns written by Clement of Alexandria (155-215 A.D.) dwells on such images:
Fisher of men, the blest, Out of the world’s unrest, Out of sin’s troubled sea, Taking us, Lord, to thee; Out of the waves of strife With bait of blissful life; Drawing thy nets to shore, With choicest fish, good store.
The picture of the fish carved on so many tombs in the catacombs of Rome preserves this image until this very day.
Applebury’s Comments
Fishers of Men Scripture
Luke 5:1-11 Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; 2 and he saw two boats standing by the lake: but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3 And he entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’S, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the multitudes out of the boat. 4 And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answered and said, Master, we toiled all night, and took nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets. 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their nets were breaking; 7 and they beckoned unto their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus-’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9 For he was amazed, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken; 10 and so were also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all, and followed him.
*Comments
multitudes pressed upon him.*The crowds, in their eagerness to hear Jesus, followed Him everywhere. He felt the pressure of the multitudes as they crowded around Him. The people of Nazareth marveled at the words of grace that came from His lips, but they were unable to accept them because they thought of Him only as Joseph’s son. Elsewhere the eager multitudes listened to Him until the jealous Pharisees and their scribes planted doubt in their minds. This persistent opposition came to a climax at the trial of Jesus. The very people whom Jesus had so often befriended were stirred up by the leaders and led to cry out, Let Him be crucified.
*standing by the lake of Gennesaret.*Jesus often taught in the formal setting of the synagogue; but, for the most part, He taught in informal situations like this one. He was standing by the lake when the crowds came up to Him and urged Him to speak the word of God to them.
Luke uses Lake Gennesaret for Sea of Galilee. Accuracy is a characteristic of his writings. Gennesaret is derived from the name of the plain that drains into the Sea of Galilee. It is probably a corrupted form of the name Chinnereth. Another name was Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1), derived from the city of Tiberias which Herod Antipas built in honor of Tiberias Caesar. It was located on the southwest shore of the Sea. Its Old Testament name was Chinnerethperhaps because the shape of the lake reminded people of a harp (Numbers 34:11), or it may have come from the ancient city of the same name (Joshua 19:35).
*he saw two boats.*Matthew reminds us that Peter and Andrew were casting their nets when Jesus first spoke to them (Matthew 4:18).
Luke takes up the account after they had left the boats and continues it as they washed the nets. Each writer emphasizes the point that is necessary for the purpose of his writing. Some assume from the differences in the accounts that there were two different events. If there were, it does not affect the lesson presented in the Gospel record. Jesus used the miracle as an occasion to teach His disciples about becoming fishers of men. From henceforth, He said, You shall catch men,
*Put out into the deep.*Peter knew that Jesus had the right to issue such a command, for Andrew had introduced him to Jesus the Messiah (John 1:40-43). He had seen the miracle when Jesus healed his wife’s mother. And now, although it was against his experience and judgment as a fisherman, he was willing to obey the order.
*Master.*Jesus is often called Lord, Teacher, Rabbi; but Luke adds another term, Master. It is similar in meaning to Rabbi or teacher, but it adds to that title the right to command. They were in Peter’s boat, but he recognized Jesus-’ right to give the orders.
*I will let down the nets.*A remarkable demonstration of confidence in Jesus! But Jesus was not just interested in their catching fish; He was preparing them for the lesson He was about to teach about their becoming fishers of men.
*Depart from me.*Simon was so impressed by the miracle that he fell down at Jesus-’ knees and said to Him, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. Just how clear his understanding of the deity of Jesus was at this point, we are not able to tell. But there was something in the miracle, together with all that he had seen done by Jesus before this time, that made him recognize his own sinfulness and the exalted position of the One whom he had just called Master. Now he addresses Him as Lord.
Peter should have asked the Lord to forgive his sin; but it may be that he was not aware of this possibility at the time. Such mistakes are bound to occur when men attempt to tell the Lord what to do instead of following the example of Saul of Tarsus who said, What shall I do, Lord? (Acts 22:10).
*For he was amazed.*Astonishment seized Peter and the others with him when they saw the miracle take place before their eyes. They had caught so many fish that their nets were breaking; being fishermen, they knew that a miracle had taken place. At the close of Jesus-’ ministry, a similar miracle occurred to prove that He had risen from the dead. Peter at that time also spoke out and said to the others, It is the Lord (John 21:7).
*partners.*James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were partners with Simon. When they saw the miracle, Peter and those in the boat with him beckoned to their partners to come and help them. The word for partner suggests sharing with others in a common task. This partnership is something in which all who are engaged in winning men to Christ can share.
thou shalt catch men.The word catch suggests taking alive; but this is not the thing stressed in Jesus-’ remark. He was contrasting catching fish with catching men, that is, preaching the gospel by which men are taken for Christ. The net is the captivating message of good news of salvation through Christ, and the place of operation is the world. The resurrection of Christ is a basic issue of that message (Romans 10:9-10). The miraculous catch of fish at Tiberias convinced the apostles that the Lord had risen. It ought to help those who now seek evidence on which to base their faith.
*they left all and followed him.*It was no part-time task to which Jesus called them. They were to leave all and give all that they might be ready to go into all the world as fishers of men.
Luke 5:12-16
Applebury’s Comments
Jesus Heals a Leper Scripture
Luke 5:12-16 And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities, behold, a man full of leprosy: and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 13 And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him. 14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go thy way, and show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 15 But so much the more went abroad the report concerning him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he withdrew himself in the deserts, and prayed.
*Comments
a man full of leprosy.*Leprosy was one of the most dreaded diseases of Bible times. Medical science has made great progress in relieving the suffering of lepers, but in Bible times there was no cure for leprosy except a miracle of God. For the laws pertaining to leprosy see Leviticus 13:1 to Leviticus 14:47.
There are many parallels between leprosy and sin. Both are small in beginning, but deadly in the end. Sin, of course, can be overcome by the divine remedy only. Only the blood of Christ can blot out sin. Priests were appointed to diagnose cases of leprosy and to pass on the cure. This accounts for the fact that Jesus, after healing a leper, directed him to the priest as the Law of Moses required.
At least three persons in Old Testament times were stricken with leprosy because of their sin: (1) Mirriam (Numbers 12:9-15); (2) Gehazi (2 Kings 5:25-27); and (3) Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:16-21). This does not suggest that all lepers were being punished because of their sins.
*full of leprosy.*The law required the leper to separate himself from the camp of the Israelites and to warn others who might approach him (Luke 17:12-13). This man, however, came into the presence of Jesus, for he was full of leprosy. Just what that meant is not known. There was a regulation in the Law for one whose whole body was covered with leprosy (Leviticus 13:12-13). Such a person was clean, but the leper who came to Jesus, quite evidently, was not. We can be sure of two things: (1) the dreadful plight of the leper, and (2) the gentle response of the merciful Master who touched him and said, I will; be thou made clean.
*And he charged him to tell no man.*Jesus did not come into the world for the primary purpose of healing lepers. It is appointed unto man once to die (Hebrews 9:27). Jesus did heal many lepers and others who were sick. Even so, disease and death remain in this world; but in heaven, death shall be no more (Revelation 21:14).
Why did Jesus forbid him to tell about his cure? Such news would bring so many that He would not be able to go from city to city to preach the Kingdom of God, and that is what He came to do (Luke 4:43).
*But so much the more went abroad the report.*More than once people disregarded the wishes of Jesus. There is no indication that He blamed them, for when they brought their sick to Him He healed them.
*a great multitude came together to hear, and to be healed.*See Matthew 4:23-24. Their cries for help were heard; and when He had healed their sick, He withdrew into a quiet place to pray.
*and prayed.*Prayer for Jesus was just as natural as for a son to talk to his father. He was Son of God, but He was also Son of Man. As a man, He talked to His heavenly Father. He often deliberately slipped away from the crowds when the pressures of His ministry were heaviest in order to have time to talk to the Father. When He prayed, He spoke to the Father with reverence. He put the Kingdom of God first in His prayers. He didn-’t hesitate to tell the Father of His own needs. His trust in God leads others to trust Him. His thanksgiving for the blessings of God sets an example for all to follow when they pray. Thy will be done is basic in all His petitions, and should be in ours too.
Luke 5:12-26
**Butler’s Comments
SECTION 2
Cleansing Men (Luke 5:12-26)**
12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and besought him, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. 13 And he stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be clean. And immediately the leprosy left him. 14And he charged him to tell no one; but go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to the people, 15But so much the more the report went abroad concerning him; and great multitudes gathered to hear and to be healed of their infirmities. 16But he withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.
17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, there were Pharisees, and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18And behold, men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they sought to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; 19but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20And when he saw their faith he said, Man, your sins are forgiven you. 21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only? 22When Jesus perceived their questionings, he answered them, Why do you question in your hearts? 23Which is easier, to say, -Your sins are forgiven you,-’ or to say, -Rise and walk-’? 24But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sinshe said to the man who was paralyzedI say to you, rise, take up your bed and go home. 25And immediately he rose before them, and took up that on which he lay, and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, We have seen strange things today.
**Luke 5:12-16 The Defiled: **… there came to him a man full of leprosy. Lepers were some of the most pathetic people of that era. It was not the physical but the social consequences of their malady that made their situation so extreme. Leviticus Chapter s 13 and 14 give scrupulous directions for the ostracism of lepers. They were cast out of towns and villages and had to live far away from healthy people. Often they lived in caves or tombs. They were not allowed to come within one hundred feet of a well person. When anyone approached, the leper was required to cry out concerning himself, Unclean, unclean! Often people who were well threw stones at lepers (even rabbis). No one was allowed to touch a leper. Lepers were deprived of all religious contact. They were considered outcasts from the camp of Israel. They were forbidden access to the Temple and its services. It was the social, religious and psychological deprivation that made the lepers such pitiful cases then.
Note the desperation in the leper’s plea: he fell on his face and besought him, Lord if you will, you can make me clean. The Greek word translated besought might more literally be translated, begged. It is interesting that the leper asked for cleansing (Gr. katharisai) and not healing. The leper expressed humility, absolute faith in Jesus-’ ability, and acquiescence to whatever Jesus willed to do. This is the kind of attitude Jesus always honors (cf. 1 John 5:14-15). With this kind of total commitment, Jesus was able to do the impossible. He could do for this defiled untouchable what no one else could doHe could cleanse! It is the Lord’s will to cleanse the defiled. So, Luke records, He touched the leper and said, I am willing, be cleansed (Gr. katharistheti).
No one was supposed to touch a leper lest they too be defiled. Jesus-’ act declares: (a) I have authority to fulfill and supercede the LawI am the Lawgiver; (b) I have power to take away the penalty that keeps man from God; (c) Love fulfills the Law! Jesus did not fulfill the Law and take away the penalty in fact, however, until He died on the cross and rose from the dead. This incident was simply a typical prediction of what He was going to do. Although Jesus fulfilled and superceded certain aspects of the Mosaic Law in order to show their true meaning, He never ignored the authority of that Law so long as it was in effect. Therefore, He ordered the leper to go to the priest, make the required sacrifices, and receive official cleansing before re-entering society.
To keep from enlarging the great throngs seeking Him merely for healing and to keep from increasing the agitation against Him already at work among the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus told the man to say nothing to anyone about his healing. Mark tells us that the man went out and began to spread the news so widely that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town because of the great multitudes which gathered to be healed of their infirmities, (Mark 1:45), so Jesus had to stay out in the country. Luke notes that He withdrew into the wilderness (uninhabited areas) to pray. If these multitudes had sought Jesus to learn of the will of God for their spiritual lives and to commit themselves to Him for atonement and regeneration, He would not have withdrawn. Their primary concern, however, appears to have been physical and not spiritual.
A Brief Study of Biblical Leprosy:
The word lepra in pre-biblical Greek meant psoriasis or scaly. Translators of the Latin Vulgate took this Greek word and rendered it into the Latin as leprosas, and it was from the Latin that our first English transliteration (not translation) leprosy came! Had the Greek word been translated it would have appeared as scaly. Even the Latin leprosus means a scaling or peeling condition and the Latin word liber (book or parchment or leaves) is of the same derivation as leprosus.
The Hebrew word tzara-ath is from a root word meaning to cast down, to defile. In Leviticus 13:1-59; Leviticus 14:1-57, even garments and walls of houses could have tzara-ath. This Hebrew word is translated in the English Bible as leprosy.
Priests of the Old Testament were given only a few days to diagnose tzara-ath. It is medically impossible to diagnose modern Hansen’s disease (modern leprosy) in such a short time. This suggets that the leprosy of the Bible was not the Hansen’s disease (leprosy) we know today.
The Hebrew tzara-ath and the Greek lepra, lepros apparently denoted numerous skin conditions which were pronounced unclean for religious and social reasons but which were curable. These skin conditions served the same purpose as other conditions which incurred defilementto show the absoluteness of man’s estrangement from God because of sin.
It is significant that the only leper healed in the New Testament was one of the 10 Samaritan lepers. All other lepers were cleansed. Apparently the Samaritan was simply healed since he could not be sent to a Jewish priest to be cleansed.
It is also significant that there is no mention of leprosy (defilement) after the death and resurrection of Christ. The Law was nailed to the cross and fulfilled; there was no more ceremonial defilement. So, while the apostles healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, caused the blind to see, the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, they never cleansed a leper!
Modern doctors have shown that the symptoms related in Leviticus chapter 13 have no connection with the disease we call leprosy (mycrobacterium leprae) which is really Hansen’s disease. Hansen’s disease is an uncurable disease mainly affecting the nervous system.
**Luke 5:16-26 The Defeated: **Luke mentions for the first time in his gospel the presence of Pharisees. The religious sect known as the Pharisees probably originated in the days of the Seleucid-Jewish struggles from a group of Jews who called themselves the chasidim. The Hebrew word chasidim means, the pious ones and they resisted to the death any encroachments of Hellinistic paganism upon their Jewish culture. This took place about 300-200 B.C. This group gained the favor of the majority of the common people and were able, by the time of Jesus, to exert tremendous influence upon society.
The Hebrew word pharashim (Pharisee) means, distinctly divided or separated and the Pharisees were extreme separatists. They were promoters of a traditional, exclusivistic Judaism. They numbered about 6000 in Jesus-’ time. They were contemptuous of all who did not follow their traditions. The fundamental feature of Pharisaism was extreme legalism. In their zeal for the preservation of Jewish culture they devised thousands of traditions and rules about the Scriptures in order to protect the Law from being violated. They cared more for their rules than they did either the Law or men (cf. Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5; Matthew 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-13, etc.). They did believe in divine providence, the free will of man, resurrection from the dead and final judgment, and a coming Messiah. They placed great store in history and the traditional culture of the Jewish race but were interested in politics only when politics interfered with their cultural and religious traditions. They were outwardly, very religious, and were the recognized (even by Jesus, Matthew 23:1) repositories of religious instruction. They were, however, for the most part hypocritical in their relationship toward God (cf. Matthew 23:1 ff). See the following chart, The Religious/Political Frame of First Century Judaism, for the origins of Jewish sects.
THE RELIGIOUS/POLITICAL FRAME OF FIRST CENTURY JUDAISM
Not all priests were Sadducees.
Not all rabbis were Pharisees.
The Pharisees, charged with the responsibility of maintaining the purity of Judaism, were here in Galilee investigating the sudden popularity of the itinerant Galilean rabbi, Jesus. Very little was officially known about Jesus. He had not gone to rabbinical schools; He apparently had little respect for Judea (had not spent much time there) which was the capital of conservative Judaism; it was being rumored that He took a very liberal view toward the traditions of the Pharisees. Jesus was teaching and preaching the word (cf. Mark 2:1-2) and they wanted to know where He stood doctrinally. They were concerned as to whether Jesus of Nazareth based His teaching on traditional rabbinical authority or not. They soon found out!
Four friends with a frantic faith brought a man afflicted with paralysis to be healed by Jesus. The Greek word for bed is klines and denotes a couch for reclining at meals, in distinction from a krabbatos which in Greek would mean, pallet or mattress. They could not get this couch through the door since people were jammed into the house and out around the door (cf. Mark 2:1-2). They carried the couch to the roof-top of the house, took away some of the tiles of the roof, and let the man and his couch down through the roof into the room. The Greek word describing the man’s affliction is paralelumenos. It is a perfect participle which means he had been paralyzed in the past and continued to be so. The word literally means, loosed from something that is consistently fixed, Part of the man’s body had been loosed from its normal consistency to the rest of the body. We know today that paralysis has something to do with the malfunction of the nerves of portions of the body in their connections to the brain. Brain damage (through stroke or accident) is usually what causes paralysis. Paralysis is almost totally incurable by medical technology.
Jesus surprised everyone with His first action toward the man. He said, Man, your sins are forgiven you! Matthew (Matthew 9:2) notes Jesus said, Be of good cheer. your sins are forgiven. Why did Jesus say this first and leave the more serious problem of the man’s paralysis for later? Because the paralysis was not the more serious problem! Jesus is forcing the more serious issues first: (a) the man needs forgiveness even if he never receives healing; (b) most serious of all, the issue of His deityHis divine authoritymust be declared in uncertain terms. The Pharisees recognized immediately the seriousness of Jesus-’ initial statement. They recognized that such a claim (to be able to forgive sins) was, if false, blasphemy. What they reasoned within themselves was true! Only God can forgive sins! The problem was the Pharisees refused to accept the idea (taught in the Old Testament, Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2) that God could reside in a human body (become incarnate).
Jesus, by supernatural knowledge, knew what they were reasoning within their minds. He proceeds to present incontrovertible proof of His authority. They cannot test the invisible power to forgive sins, but they can test His visible power to heal a paralytic. The healing proves the other. God would not grant such power to a liar and fraud. It is easy to say, Your sins are forgiven you, and no external evidence will be available to verify its factuality. But to say to a paralyzed man, Rise, take up your bed and go home is not easy for it can be subjected to external verification! The following chart, somewhat appropriated from The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. II, pgs. 139-142, by Harold Fowler, pub. College Press, demonstrates the logical defense Jesus made against the charge of blasphemy.
Notice, Jesus did not say, By the power of God, rise. but, I say to you, rise. Eventually the Jews crucified Jesus on the charge of blasphemy. Jesus was not guilty of blasphemy because He proved that He possessed the absolute power of God and thus rightfully claimed the prerogatives of Almighty God.
The reactions of the multitudes are interesting: (a) they were afraid (Matthew 9:8; Luke 5:26) (Gr. ephobethesan from phobia); (b) they were amazed (Mark 2:12; Luke 5:26) (Gr. ekstasis; they were ecstatic); (c) they glorified God (Matthew 9:8; Mark 2:12; Luke 5:26)the word glorified in the O.T. comes from kavod which means weight and apparently derives from the idea of a person’s wealth or worth; (d) they said, We have seen strange (Gr. paradoxa from which we get paradoxical) thingsthe word paradox means, that which is contrary to the norm. They certainly did see strange and wonderful things from Jesus. No one had ever manifested such divine powerno one in their right mind had ever made such astounding claims. But perhaps the most paradoxical thing they saw that day was the refusal of the Pharisees to accept what they had seen with their own eyes verified to be true!
Luke 5:17-26
Applebury’s Comments
Jesus Heals a Paralytic Scripture
Luke 5:17-26 And it came to pass on one of those days, that he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every village of Galilee and Judaea and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, men bring on a bed a man that was palsied: and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him before him. 19 And not finding by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his couch into the midst before Jesus. 20 And seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? 22 But Jesus perceiving their reasoning, answered and said unto them, Why reason ye in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he said unto him that was palsied), I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thy house. 25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his house, glorifying God. 26 And amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God; and they were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.
*Comments
And it came to pass.*We lose something of the vividness of Luke’s descriptions. He had studied these events of the ministry of Jesus until they seemed to be taking place before his eyes as he wrote. By diligent study of the record he left for us to read, we can make these incidents come to life in our minds too.
This incident is the first in a series of five in which Luke records the complaints of the Pharisees against Jesus because He helped the people in their needs (Luke 5:17 to Luke 6:11).
*that he was teaching.*The ministry of Jesus was one of teaching and healing; the miracles demonstrated to His hearers that His message was from God. His message, confirmed by His miracles, is the basis of our faith in Him. See Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4; John 20:30-31.
Jesus taught in the synagogues; He taught by the sea; He taught wherever crowds were gathered together or where a single individual was ready to listen. He always taught with authority (Matthew 7:28-29).
The ministry of the apostles followed the same pattern, They taught the people on Pentecost. They continued to teach although they were threatened with death (Acts 4:18-20; Acts 5:42). Paul taught in Ephesus, both publically and from house to house (Acts 20:20). He wrote to Timothy: Till I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching (1 Timothy 4:12). And again, The things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2). The gospel message must be taught (Matthew 28:18-20).
*and there were Pharisees.*They were separatists, possibly implying separation from everything unclean. Paul said that they were the straightest sect of the Jew’s religion (Acts 26:5). They believed in the resurrection and angels and spirits, but the Sadducees rejected all this (Acts 23:8).
The Pharisees led the opposition to Jesus, constantly complaining that He had broken the Law and that He was guilty of blasphemy. But they were never able to prove their charges.
*and doctors of the law.*These law-teachers are called scribes by Matthew and Mark (Matthew 9:3; Mark 2:6). For an example of the work of the scribes see Ezra 7:6; Ezra 10:1; Hebrews 8:1-8.
Various functions were performed by them in the time of Jesus. They were best known for their work of guarding and teaching the Law. But both scribes and Pharisees were condemned by Jesus for their hypocrisy in applying the law. They taught it, but failed to live by it (Matthew 23:1-36). But they were not all like that; for an example of a scribe who had a better understanding of the Law, see Mark 12:28-34. And think of Nicodemus a Pharisee who dared to defend Jesus before the counsel and to identify himself with Jesus although He had been put to death on the crossthe Roman instrument of execution of criminals. See John 7:50-52; John 19:39.
*out of every village.*This incident took place in Capernaum (Mark 2:1). John suggests that the Pharisees had already begun the opposition to Jesus in Jerusalem (John 4:1). For that reason, He left Judea and came again into Galilee where the opposition was not so great. He said, A prophet hath no honor in his own country (John 4:43-45). In Galilee He was less likely to have difficulty with the leaders. There He could carry on His work of preparing the disciples to take the gospel into all the world (Luke 24:46-47). They were not content, however, to let Him carry on a ministry in Galilee without keeping close watch on its progress lest His influence with the people become too great. Later, they complained that if they should leave Him alone, all men would believe in Him and the Romans would come and take away their place and their nation (John 11:47-48).
*And seeing their faith.*Faith that is put into action can be seen. The friends of the sick man believed that Jesus had the power to heal him. The multitudes were blocking the entrance to the house where He was, but the men found a way to let him down through the roof into the presence of Jesus.
*Man, thy sins are forgiven.*In this dramatic way, Jesus pointed out that His mission was to forgive the sinner and save the lost. He knew that the man had been put in His presence because they wanted Him to heal him. He exercised the power of the Lord that was with Him to heal in order to prove that the Son of Man had authority on earth to forgive sins.
*Who is this that speaketh blasphemies?*It would have been blasphemy for a man to assume the prerogative of God and presume to forgive sins. They were correct in saying, Who can forgive sins, but God alone? They failed to see that the Son of Man was also the Son of God. He was not guilty of blasphemy, for He spoke with the authority from God. Nevertheless, the Jews kept up their complaint, and in the end condemned Him to death because they said He was guilty of blasphemy (Mark 14:64).
*Why reason ye in your hearts?*Only God can forgive sins, and only God can look into the hearts of men and know their secrets. On the Day of Judgment, He will judge the secrets of mens-’ hearts (Romans 2:16; Hebrews 4:13). With the heart, man thinks (Matthew 9:4), reasons (Mark 2:8), believes (Romans 10:9-10), and understands (Matthew 13:5). The Scriptural heart is the intellect on which the facts of the gospel make impact that results in belief (Romans 10:9-10). It is the emotions that respond to the love of God (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:19). It is the will, for with the heart man purposes and determines (2 Corinthians 9:7; 1 Corinthians 7:37). The consideration of the goodness of God (Romans 2:4) and godly sorrow for sin (2 Corinthians 7:10) and the knowledge of the coming judgment (Acts 17:30-31) lead the sinner to change his will and decide to serve Christ. That is repentance. The heart condemns, for it is the conscience. The blood of Christ can cleanse the conscience by blotting out the sin that otherwise would constantly remind the sinner of his guilt (Hebrews 10:22; Hebrews 9:14). Baptism, which Peter declares saves us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the act of obedience by which the sinner asks God for a good conscience, one that commends rather than condemns (1 Peter 3:21).
*Which is easier?*Jesus implies that it is just as easy to say, Thy sins are forgiven as to sayand actually cause it to be doneArise and walk. The power of the Lord was with Him to heal. Why didn-’t he heal the man first? Forgiveness of sins is of first importance! The miracle was to prove that the Son of Man had authority on earth to forgive sins.
*the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins.*In their reasoning, the Jews had linked this authority with God. Son of Man does not imply that He was merely human; He was also Son of God. Note the force of His argument in the trial before the Jews where they understood His reference to Son of Man to imply that He is also Son of God (Luke 22:67-70).
*glorifying God.*At the command of Jesus the paralyzed man immediately arose and went to his home glorifying God. It was a genuine miracle. Luke, the beloved physician, was convinced that the power of the Lord was with Him to heal. Those who say that Jesus was merely a master of psychology who relieved this man of psychosomatic symptoms disregard Luke’s statement about the power of the Lord and the technique of Jesus in dealing with the case. The people also glorified God, for they had seen strange things, that is, things not based on normal experience.
Luke 5:27-32
Applebury’s Comments
Jesus Called Levi the Publican Scripture
Luke 5:27-32 And after these things he went forth, and beheld a publican, named Levi, sitting at the place of toll, and said unto him, Follow me. 28 And he forsook all, and rose up and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house: and there was a great multitude of publicans and of others that were sitting at meat with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with the publicans and sinners? 31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are in health have no need of a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
*Comments
a publican, named Levi.*His other name was Matthew (Matthew 9:9). In His public ministry, Jesus came into contact with all classes of people, including Pharisees and their scribes, and publicans. Tax collectors and sinners were usually classed together, for as a group the publicans abused their offices. There is no indication that Matthew did. Jesus evidently selected men to be apostles because of their ability to carry out the task He had for them. Matthew, as one used to keeping records, had the talent and training that could be put to use as the Holy Spirit used him to write the Gospel According to Matthew. He must have been a man of influence, for a great crowd of publicans and others attended the feast he gave in honor of Jesus.
Others such as Roman and Jewish rulers, officers of the Roman army, Gentiles, Samaritans, rich and poor were attracted to Jesus. He came to save the lost, and they were found among all classes.
*Follow me.*Levi’s immediate response leaves us wondering if he had known Jesus before this time. We have no way of knowing many things that would be of interest, although not necessary to the understanding of the gospel story, It is possible that this was the very first time he had seen Jesus. If so, it indicates the remarkable power of Jesus to influence men. But through the ages men have been willing to leave all and follow Him.
*And Levi made him a great feast.*Luke says that a great multitude of publicans and others were present. Matthew says that many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and His disciples (Matthew 9:10). Luke also shows that the Pharisees asked the disciples this question: Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
Levi used the occasion as an opportunity to present Jesus to his associates, Every follower of Jesus would do well to follow this example. Every member of the church is to be an evangelist and help in the total work of the church by seeking to save the lost.
*And Jesus answering.*Jesus had the answer for His critics. The healthy need no physician. Of course, the complainers looked upon themselves as spiritually healthyrighteous. But they were wrong about themselves and wrong about condemning the Great Physician who ministered to the sick in soul as well as body. Jesus said, I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Some of them were the worst sort of sinners, but as long as they thought of themselves as righteous, nothing could be done for them.
Luke 5:27-39
**Butler’s Comments
SECTION 3
Converting Men (Luke 5:27-39)**
27 After this he went out, and saw a tax collector, named Levi, sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, Follow me. 28And he left everything, and rose and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there was a large company of tax collectors and others sitting at table with them. 30And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? 31And Jesus answered them, Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
33 And they said to him, The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink. 34And Jesus said to them, Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 36He told them a parable also: No one tears a piece from an old garment; if he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he says, -The old is good.-'
**Luke 5:27-28 From Secondary Pursuits: **Mark indicates Jesus went out from the inner city to a place beside the sea (Mark 2:13) and taught the people gathered about Him. As Jesus passed on along the busy boat docks of the city He saw a man called Levi (which means, companion). His other name was Matthew (which means, gift). This Levi was a tax-collector (Gr. telones from telos, meaning toll, custom or tax); tax-collectors were called publicans from Latin publicanus. We know the following things about Levi: (a) His father’s name was Alphaeus; (b) he was undoubtedly skilled in writing and keeping records; (c) he was apparently well versed in the Old Testament for he quotes more from it than any other gospel writer; (d) he left a lucrative position to follow Jesus; (e) he must have been a man of deep spiritual convictions to have such concern for his former colleagues.
The typical publican of that day may be characterized as: (a) self-centered, Matthew 5:46-47; (b) heathenish, Matthew 18:17; Matthew 11:19; Matthew 21:31; (c) mercenary, Luke 19:2; Luke 19:8; (d) yet, more able to repent than the Pharisees, Luke 7:29-30; Luke 18:9-14; Luke 19:8. Levi probably did not fit this picture in all its aspects. He does not seem to be self-centered or mercenary. Most publicans were hated by all the Jews because they collected taxes for the despised Roman conquerors. Furthermore, the Romans had a system of farming-out taxes. Rome stipulated a fixed amount of taxes they wished to receive from conquered provinces. The collectors were to insure that amount; all they could collect above that amount they could keep as salary. Many tax-collectors became adept at fraud, extortion and manipulation, and some became very rich. The Jews considered them as traitors and heathen; not fit to be included in the covenant with Jehovah, and classed with the worst of sinners.
The Lord called Levi to change his occupation to the highest of all callingsan evangelist of the gospel of Jesus Christ. While it is not stated, we may assume that Levi had prior knowledge of Jesus: (a) no one followed Jesus blindly; (b) Jesus had conducted an extensive ministry of teaching and working miracles in the city of Capernaum prior to His call to Levi; (c) Levi may have already had business contacts with the fishermen-apostles who would have told him about Jesus. The Lord had a special mission for this man who had special training. Levi, skilled and experienced at record-keeping, gave the world its most influential and enduring place of historical recorda biography of the life of the Incarnate God, Jesus Christ. Levi was converted. He immediately left all, put his trust in Jesus and followed Him. Levi committed himself to the proposition of Jesus, Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these (necessities) things will be added to you.
Luke 5:29-32 From Sin: This was a turning point in Levi’s life. He felt satisfied he had found Someone who could lead him to Life with a capital L. He believed he had found the Messiah who would fill his empty life with truth, love and holy comradeship which his forefathers and the prophets had so longed for, Now Levi wanted his associates and friends to know this Jesus also. Ultimately, this is the only real way to follow Jesus!
Levi was a man of considerable financial means, so he held a huge reception (megale, Gr. for great; douchefrom dechomai, to receive) for Jesus in his own home. There was a huge crowd (Gr. ochlos, multitude; polus, much) of tax-collectors and other people at Levi’s for this reception-supper. They were all reclining (Gr. katakeimenoi), probably on the Roman triclinium type couches. The triclinium was wide enough for three people. They rested their head on their left hand (the left elbow resting on the couch) and fed themselves with their right hand. Eating utensils such as we know today were possessed only by the well-to-do and rich. There were no forks; only knives, spoons, drinking goblets or cups and an individual dish for each diner. In the homes of the common people diners took a piece of flat Jewish bread and dipped it into the food in their individual dishes, or, in some cases where there were no individual dishes, the diners, one at a time, dipped a morsel of bread into the one main dish of food on the table. No one ever ate standing up. Jewish tradition says, Eating or drinking upright upsets a man’s whole body. In ordinary meals it was permissible to put one’s hand into the common dish, but never to put it in at the same time as another guestthat would be extremely rude according to the apocryphal book Ecclesiasticus. An ordinary meal, in a moderately well-to-do home, would have consisted of fish or kid, vegetables (particularly onions), and cakes, with local wine to wash it all down. We do not know what Levi had served. It may have been more sumptuous than that. Whatever the meal, the real purpose of Levi was to introduce his friends to this miracle-working Teacher who spoke with the authority of God.
There were Pharisees and scribes there. We do not know they were in Levi’s house when they grumbled at the disciples of Jesus. They could have been. It is doubtful that Levi had invited them. But in Palestine then, it was customary for spectators to gather, uninvited inside the larger homes just to watch the goings-on at one of the huge feasts of the well-to-do. It was a form of entertainment. More likely, however, the Pharisees heard about the feast and attacked Jesus-’ disciples after the feast was over somewhere other than in Levi’s house. No self-respecting Pharisee would ever defile himself by entering a publican’s house. This was the main point of their attack upon Jesus and His disciples. To the Pharisees a publican was no better than a Gentile or a Samaritan. In those days to dine indicated not simply hospitality and friendship, but brotherhood. When a person was invited to dine and did so, people assumed that the host and guest were in agreement religiously, politically and socially (cf. 2 John 1:9-11, etc.). Pharisees considered tax-collectors and sinners anathema (cf. Luke 18:11; Matthew 18:17). Thus the Pharisees assumed Jesus was condoning sin and had defiled Himself by such intimate association with Levi. Jesus ate with a publicanJesus had joined in brotherhood with a publican. Rabbis only associated with righteous people. To the Pharisees it was not a question of the needs of the publican to know the truth and be brought to repentance; their highest priority was themselvesthe keeping of themselves traditionally pure by not associating with sinners. There were no such instructions in the Law of Moses. To bring a sinner to a knowledge of God’s revealed will so that sinner will repent, is the highest form of loveand love is the fulfillment of the law.
The Pharisees murmured. The Greek word is egonguzon which means to grumble, mumble, or murmur indignantly in a low tone. It is onomatopoetic; i.e., when the word is pronounced it sounds like the thing it is describing. It is like the English word gong. Jesus-’ answer is a masterpiece. It is subtle enough not to enrage while at the same time it contains enough sarcasm that it cannot be shrugged off without having felt the sting of rebuke. Pharisees considered themselves learned teachers of the Law and publicans as unlearned heathen. Pharisees and rabbis looked upon the Law as medicine for the soul and themselves as blameless before the Law; therefore, in need of no repentance. Publicans were, to Pharisees, spiritually illin fact, terminally ill. Jesus said, Those who are well do not need a doctor; those who are ill do! Where else would you expect to find a physician than among the ill? Those who do not believe themselves to be ill will not seek a physician. Jesus came to save or heal those who recognize they are ill and need His healing. Publicans know they are sinners and want help (Luke 18:13; Luke 7:29); Pharisees do not acknowledge they are sinners (although they are) and do not want help (Luke 18:11-12; Luke 7:30; John 9:39-41). That is why Jesus ate with publicans and sinners! If we are to bring people to Jesus for salvation, we must find those who will acknowledge they are sinners. Those who think they can be saved by themselves or someone other than Jesus are like the Pharisees. There is only one way to find sinnersbefriend them, associate with them, and introduce them to Jesus. Befriending sinners does not mean we condone their sin. Eating with sinners and associating with them in certain situations does not mean we will be defiled. The apostle Paul knew Christians would be forced in certain situations of everyday life to associate with sinners (1 Corinthians 5:9-10), otherwise Christians would have to leave this world altogether. Thousands of sinners want to know Jesus. If Christians withdraw into little monastic clubs and mingle only with one another, how shall these thousands ever be introduced to Jesus?
Luke 5:33-39 From Self-Righteousness: A monastic attitude tends to produce self-righteousness. Self-righteousness feeds on legalism. This is the point of the next encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees. And it is all connected to the graciousness of Jesus toward Levi as contrasted with the self-righteous bigotry of the Pharisees toward publicans. This is not really a renunciation of the law of God; it is a disavowal of legalism and Pharisaic traditions. Jesus never renounced the Law; He came not to destroy it but to fulfill it.
Both Matthew and Mark indicate that John the Baptist’s disciples joined the Pharisees in carping at Jesus in this instance. John the Baptist was probably already in prison by Herod’s decree. These disciples of John were apparently part of the crowd of uninvited spectators at Levi’s house or had been seduced by the Pharisees to join in attacking Jesus because of His innovative religious behavior. Had John been free he would not even have attended such an affair. He lived the life of an ascetic for the purpose of God, not to promote his own self-righteousness in the legalistic way of the Pharisees. The Pharisees, on the other hand, lived outwardly austere and ascetic to justify themselves in their legalism. The Pharisees fasted often and prayed oftenpublicly. They withdrew into a modified form of monasticism so they would appear to be righteous, unable to tolerate sinners. Where did the idea of fasting originate? Its origin is spiritual, not dietary. The commandment of the Law was that the Hebrew worshiper should -innah (Hebrew for afflict) the soul (Leviticus 16:29-34; Leviticus 23:26-32; Numbers 29:7, etc.). There was really no specific instruction concerning abstinence in the original commandment. The Hebrew word tzum is translated fast, but this word is not used in the first 6 books of the Old Testament. Apparently the instruction in the Pentateuch to afflict the soul came to be interpreted to mean abstain from food and other things. The instructors in the Pentateuch said the Hebrew was to afflict his soul only on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) which occurred once a year in October. The Pharisees fasted twice each week, on Mondays and Thursdays, as well as on other special occasions. The Pharisees made a point to do their fasting publicly going to great lengths to exhibit penitence. They put dust and ashes on their heads; they wore sackcloth next to their skin; they allowed their hair and beards to go unkempt; Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:16) they disfigured their faces (Gr. aphanizousin) with gloom (Gr. skuthropos, sadness, sullenness, moroseness); and, of course, they abstained from food. Jesus-’ answer is not intended to preclude fasting altogether. Jesus fasted (Matthew 4:2). Jesus also said, When you fast.. (Matthew 6:17), indicating there would be times when a Christian might wish to fast. Fasting (or, afflicting the soul) might be in order in times of spiritual depression, penitence or mourning. But it should be a spontaneous expression, not faked or pretended. And it cannot be legalistically and arbitrarily regulated by human traditions. These are the two main points of Jesus-’ answer. There is a time for fasting and there is a time for feasting; a wedding is a place to feast, not fast! The Messiah had comeit was a time to rejoice and come to God’s feast (as the O.T. Prophets predicted, Isaiah 25:6 ff; Isaiah 55:1 ff; Isaiah 61:1 ff). John the Baptist himself had confirmed that Jesus was The Bridegroom. The children of the bridechamber certainly should not fast or mourn while the Bridegroom was with them. When the Bridegroom was slain would be the time for mourning; and that would come soon enough. But even that mourning would last only a short time for the Bridegroom would be raised from the dead and then joy would return to the disciples.
But the Pharisees refused to acknowledge that the Messiah had come. They refused to accept the announcement that God’s promises of salvation by grace were present in Jesus. They preferred to continue seeking justification through their legalistic traditions. This is the point of the parables Jesus uses here. Obviously, the new garment and the new Wine is the Christian revelation of salvation by grace and the old garment and old wineskins represent the old system to which the Jews were clinging for salvation; the Law of Moses, especially as it was traditionally interpreted and practiced for the purposes of self-justification. The promise of God for salvation was never intended to be limited in its appropriation to a set of rules and traditions. God’s salvation has always been by grace, through faith (Romans 5:2). The promise, made to Abraham when he was a Gentile, was to be appropriated through faith, and the Law which came 430 years later did not annul the promise or the means of appropriation. The Law was not against salvation by grace through faith. In fact, the Law was given to intensify man’s realization that his only hope of salvation was by grace through faith. This is more precisely taught in Romans, Chapter s 3 through 8, and Galatians, Chapter s 3 through 5. It was not the Law itself that condemned man. Man was condemned by his perversion of the Law. Man took God’s Law and arrogantly declared that he needed no grace from God, no faith in God, for he could, by adding his own interpretations and traditions to it, keep it in such an absolute and perfect way, God would owe him salvation. Man perverted the Law into a system of self-justification. His faith was in himself and his systemnot in the Lawgiver, God.
Jesus came to fulfill the old system; He did not come to patch it up. To make the new a patch on the old would never work. Cloth in Jesus-’ day was not sanforized. A patch of new cloth on old, when washed, would shrink and tear itself away from the old. New, unfermented wine put in old, brittle and dried out wineskins, would form gases as it fermented and would soon burst the old skins. The proper thing to do is put new wine in new skins; when the new wine forms gases, the new skins stretch to meet the situation. The new era of grace ushered in by Christ and His fulfillment of the old cannot be contained in the forms of the old Law and especially in the traditions of the Pharisees, Systems of Law and Tradition must, by their very nature, be constructed to fit times and cultures. Salvation by grace through faith fits all times and cultures. The Christian dispensation of God’s grace calls for new and expanding ways to express itself. It must be able to transcend human cultures. It must divorce the spirit of man from its tendency to cling to the seen and direct it to the unseen, It must be able to strip the spirit of man of its tendency to arrogance and self-justification through a system and direct it to trust the absolute faithfulness of a Person. Man must be freed from the penalty of guilt in failing to perfectly obey the Law of God and his own perversions of that Law, so he can enter a covenant relationship with the God of grace by faith. That is what Jesus accomplished for man! That is why Christianity is not simply a patch-up-job on legalism; that is why Christianity cannot be restricted into some humanly legalistic wineskin. Once a man believes in Christ, accepts His new covenant terms and is immersed in water, he is justified by the grace of God and he is forgiven all penalties and is free to grow in his expression of faith and love toward God as he allows himself to be motivated and guided by the Spirit of God through the New Covenant scriptures. Such a person is born againa citizen of the kingdom of God. Never again does he need to seek to justify himself before God; never again can anyone else bind him to a system of legalism. Only the individual through distrust in God and His word, enslaves himself again to legalism.
Now this is the point of Jesus-’ last illustration here (Luke 5:39). Jesus ends this discussion of conversion on a sad note. It will be very difficult for most men to give up the old way of self-justification and accept the new justification by grace through faith. Pride, the mother of all sins, is not easy to surrender. Pharisees (those of Jesus-’ day and those of all ages) satisfy themselves with old wine (self-righteousness through human legalism). The old is pleasant, so why even try the new? Human legalism is a form of idolatry. The Pharisees made void the word of God by their traditions and legalism and thus these became their god. The man who makes his own god can manipulate it. Human legalism can be manipulated to serve man’s pride and other fleshly lusts. It is not easy to surrender in faith to the Personal God who cannot be manipulated. Jesus found it easier to convert Levi, who had probably not been too concerned with self-justification, than to convert the Pharisees whose self-righteousness closed their hearts to the grace of Christ. As one man has said, How often does the good become the enemy of the best!The idea of self-justification is intoxicating and exhilarating to the proud heart of man.
Keeping the commandments of Christ because we believe, trust and love Him is not legalism. Legalism is an attitude, not an action. Legalism is the proud heart of man thinking he can keep the law of God perfectly and not incur guilt and so earn his salvation by self-righteousness. Legalism does not depend upon the imputed righteousness of Christ but upon self-attained merit. Trying to obey the commandments of Christ because one believes and accepts His salvation as a gift is not legalism, but love.
STUDY STIMULATORS:
How would you characterize the lake of Gennesaret? What part did it have to play in Jesus-’ ministry?
What do you think of Jesus selecting fishermen to become apostles? How do men usually go about choosing their leaders (cf. 1 Samuel 8:5; 1 Samuel 8:19-20; 1 Samuel 9:1-2)?
Did Jesus expect these fishermen to follow Him on some immediate, emotional whim? Does Jesus ever expect anyone to follow Him on that basis? How do you know?
Why was the miracle of the great catch of fish so impressive to Peter?
Describe the social circumstances of having leprosy in Jesus-’ day.
What was leprosy? What religious function did it have?
What did Jesus signify when He cleansed this leper?
What is a Pharisee? Where did they come from? Why were they following Jesus?
What was paralysis according to Dr. Luke? Why did they let the paralyzed man down through the roof into the house where Jesus was?
Why did Jesus first tell the paralyzed man his sins were forgiven?
What did the Pharisees say about Jesus forgiving the man’s sins?
How did Jesus prove He could forgive the man’s sins?
Who was Levi and what did he do for a living?
Why would Jesus call Levi to be an apostle?
How did Levi introduce Jesus to his friends?
Why did Jesus eat with publicans and sinners?
Why did the Pharisees and John’s disciples attack Jesus for not fasting?
What is fasting? When should Christians fast?
What did Jesus mean by saying, You cannot put new patches on old cloth. and You cannot put new wine into old wineskins?
Why do men not desire the new wine after having drunk the old?
What is legalism? What is it not?
Luke 5:33-39
Applebury’s Comments
The Complaint About Fasting Scripture
Luke 5:33-39 And they said unto him, The disciples of John fact often, and make supplications; likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink. 34 And Jesus said unto them, Can ye make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? 35 But the days will come; and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then will they fast in those days. 36 And he spake also a parable unto them: No man rendeth a piece from a new garment and putteth it upon an old garment; else he will rend the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old. 37 And no man putteth new wine into old wine-skins; else the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be spilled, and the skins will perish. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no man having drunk old wine desireth new; for he saith, The old is good.
*Comments
They said unto him.*According to Matthew 9:14, it was the disciples of John who raised the question about fasting. The Pharisees took up the issue and asked, Why do your disciples eat and drink? John’s didn-’t and the Pharisees-’ didn-’t. They implied that Jesus and His disciples were doing wrong by eating and drinking with the publicans and sinners.
*while the bridegroom is with them?*Jesus answered the complainers with the illustration of the wedding feast. It wouldn-’t be fitting to hold a fast at a wedding; even John’s disciples would see the correctness of His position. The time for fasting would be when the bridegroom was taken away. Jesus is the Bridegroom, His disciples are the attendants. After the crucifixion, He was to ascend to the Father. It is appropriate for the disciples to fast while awaiting His return (Acts 13:2).
*a piece from a new garment.*A second illustration enforces His argument. Fasting while Jesus was with them was just as much out of place as putting a piece from a new garment on an old garment. There is a tendency for people to resist change. Jesus said, No man having drunk old wine desireth new. Jesus understood why they didn-’t want to see the time-honored custom of fasting set aside even while He was with them.
Summary
The chapter begins with the account of two dramatic incidents in Jesus-’ Galilean ministry of healing and teaching. It continues with the account of the beginnings of the tide of complaint against Him that reached its crest at Calvary. On the shores of Lake Genessaret, a crowd had gathered to hear Jesus speak the word of God. He sat in Simon Peter’s boat and taught the people. When He finished speaking, He said to Peter, Put out into the deep and let down the nets for a catch. Peter, experienced fisherman that he was, said, We toiled all night and took nothing, but if you say so we will let down the nets again. They did and the miracle took place! So many fish were caught that the nets were breaking and the boats were beginning to sink. When Peter saw it, he fell on his knees before Jesus and said, Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man. But Jesus said, From now on you shall catch men. Then the disciples left all and followed Him. A man who was full of leprosy came up to Jesus and said, If you will, you can make me clean. Jesus said, I will; be clean. And again a miracle happened; his leprosy was gone! Jesus told him to tell no one, but go and show himself to the priest. Instead, he told everybody what happened, and crowds came to hear Jesus and to be healed. Then Jesus withdrew into a lonely place to pray. The great popularity of Jesus was bound to arouse the opposition of the leaders of the Jews. He healed a paralytic after He had forgiven his sins, but they complained that He was speaking blasphemies. They reasoned that only God could forgive sins, but they were unaware of the deity of Jesus and that the Son of Man had authority on earth to forgive sins. They complained about His association with publicans, but Jesus answered, Those who are in good health do not need a physician, but the sick do. They complained that He did not observe the time-honored custom of fasting, but He answered by showing that fasting was out of place while He, the bridegroom, was present. The time would come, however, when fasting would be appropriate. He implied that He would not be with them always, for He was going to the Father. His answers to the complaints were clear and adequate, but the enemy was interested only in destroying any confidence the people might have in Him. They kept it up until the people were persuaded at His trial to cry out, Away with him; let Him be crucified.
Questions
Under what circumstances did Jesus teach the lesson about becoming fishers of men?
Where did Jesus do most of His teaching?
What are the other names for the Sea of Galilee?
What name did Luke use.
How did Jesus use the miracle of catching fish to teach the lesson about fishers of men?
Why did Peter protest when Jesus said, Put out into the deep and let down the nets for a catch?
What is the meaning of the word master which Peter used in addressing Jesus?
How does it differ in meaning from Lord?
How did Peter show his confidence in Jesus?
What did Peter say when he saw that a miracle had happened?
What basic mistake did he make?
What proof is there that it was a genuine miracle?
When did Jesus perform another miracle like it?
What was Peter’s response at that time?
Who were the sons of Zebedee? What were they to Peter?
Although the word catch literally means take alive, what point did Jesus make in using it?
What did the disciples do after they witnessed the miracle?
What are the facts about the cure of leprosy in Bible times?
In what ways is the disease of leprosy like sin?
What were the O. T. regulations about leprosy and its cure?
Who are the three O. T. characters who were stricken with leprosy because of their acts of sin?
What did the leper say to Jesus?
Why did Jesus forbid him to tell about his healing?
Why did he disobey?
Why do some disobey the gospel command to tell the good news to all the world?
What was Jesus-’ attitude toward all the sick who were brought to Him?
Why did He withdraw to a quiet place?
How was Luke able to write such vivid accounts of the ministry of Jesus?
What are some of the facts about Jesus-’ prayers?
How can the story of Jesus become a living reality to us?
What was the primary purpose of Jesus miracles?
Why did Jesus and the apostles teach in the synagogues of the Jews?
Who were the Pharisees?
What are the beliefs of the Pharisees and the Sadducees?
Who were the scribes? What was their work?
Where was the principal opposition to Jesus located?
Why did Jesus carry on the greater part of His ministry in Galilee?
What is meant by seeing their faith?
Why did Jesus forgive the sins of the paralytic before He healed him?
Explain the reasoning of those who said that Jesus had spoken blasphemies.
What is meant by the heart as the term is used in Scripture?
How does the gospel act upon the heart?
Which was easier for Jesus to say, Your sins are forgiven or Arise and walk?
Why did Jesus say to the paralytic, Arise and walk?
What was the reaction of the people to the miracle of healing the paralytic?
Who was Levi? What was his other name?
What did Levi do after becoming a follower of Jesus?
What was the attitude of the Pharisees when they saw Jesus at Levi’s feast?
How did Jesus answer their complaint?
How did Jesus answer the complaint about fasting?
What was implied by His remark?
What does the Bible say about fasting on the part of Christians?