Faith without religion.
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Okay. After teaching his disciples or apostles to pray we now read beginning at Luke 11:14
Luke 11.28-33
Meat
December 15th 2019
29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.
31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Did you notice a phrase repeated over and over in these first four verses for today? That’s right – “this generation.”
Who do we suppose He was talking about? The people there hearing Him when He said, “this generation” or one in the future – like ours?
Of course he was speaking to them then- they were the ones seeking a sign and they were the ones he was calling evil!
This brings us to the verse of which there is no getting around in Matthew 24:34 where Jesus uses the very same Greek term that He uses here to say, after describing what His coming would look like:
34 Verily I say unto you (Peter, James, John, and Andrew), This generation shall not pass, till all hese things be fulfilled!
I consulted a dozen translations and the all translate the Greek word used here GHEN-AYE-AH to generation, meaning that present age of those present people. THIS GENERATION
The Greek word means “an age” – forty years if we are speaking of a contextual biblical age.
Some people have tried to say that generation here means a people type – like the Jews – but the Greek word for this type of generation is genos (see 1st Peter 2:9 (as in, “But ye are a chosen generation . . . “) NOT Ghen-aye-ah.
This passages here in Luke 11 help substantiate the way we interpret Matthew 24:34 and Jesus use of the term generation there.
But a futurist cannot agree to this faithful stance. They HAVE to either say Jesus was wrong or that generation does not mean generation – and in either case, they have twisted the clear meaning to suit their preferred views.
“Say what you like,” CS Lewis wrote, “we shall be told [by some critics – and at this point Lewis gives critics a voice, supposing that they could say], “the apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, ‘This generation shall not pass till all these things be done.’ And he was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else.”
Then at this point in his narrative Lewis stops giving a fictitious voice to the complaints of the imaginary critics and adds, speaking of Matthew 24:34
“It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible. Yet how teasing, also, that within fourteen words of it should come the statement “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” The one exhibition of error and the one confession of ignorance grow side by side. To this, the skeptic may reply, “If Jesus incorrectly predicted His return within the contemporaneous generation, but actually did not know that He was going to return within that time frame, then why did He so confidently assert that all of the words He had just spoken would come to pass in Matthew 24:35 when He said, ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.’ ”
We are all allowed mistakes and CS Lewis was not above making them. I do not judge the man as I love his heart and works for God. But to call this passage, “the most embarrassing in scripture,” was an error on his part.
It is NOT embarrassing in the least – it was correct, it occurred as Jesus said and we have embarrassingly misunderstood this fact.
To say that all of these things will happen within a Generation and then to say that no man knows the day or hour is not a contradiction and I am surprised Brother Lewis would not see this.
Bringing more reason to the topic, in 1993, at the Covenant Eschatology Symposium in Mt. Dora Florida, another Christian scholar, R.C. Sproul (who passed away a couple of years ago) said this about the “this generation” passage spoken by Jesus and the Churches interpretation of it:
“Maybe some church fathers made a mistake. Maybe our favorite theologians have made mistakes. I can abide with that. I can’t abide with Jesus being a false prophet, because if I am to understand that Jesus is a false prophet, my faith is in vain.”
Looking at the words of Jesus to this audience in Luke and then to the words Jesus said to His apostles, we are left with only three real choices:
He was speaking to them and He was speaking to what would exist again (for us) at another time with another coming, (or)
He was speaking to them only (and He was absolutely correct in what He said), (or)
He was speaking to them only (and He was wrong).
In the face of what Jesus says here, as recorded in Luke, these added words are vital to a correct understanding of what He said to the Apostles in the Olivet discourse before going to the cross.
Okay let’s go back to verse 29
29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
In verse 16 we read that the people, in addition to witnessing the casting out of a demon, asked for a sign from heaven.
Here is where Jesus responds to this request. Asking for a sign is another way of asking to witness a miracle.
Luke adds in verse 16 that this was done when they were trying to tempt him or try him, meaning they doubted in His ability or power to do it. I am sure that if the people were in humble need for whatever miracle desired the Good Lord would have provided it.
But here we have a mass mentality going on – note the word “we” would see a sign from heaven in the passage. He didn’t bite.
And in response Jesus said:
This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
In Matthew, Jesus said, “this is a wicked and an adulterous generation.”
The relationship of the Jews to God was often represented as a marriage contract with God as the husband and the Jewish people as the wife. When the wife (Israel) pursued after other Gods in idolatry, she was simultaneously an adulterer.
This is what Jesus is flat out calling that generation around him and their apostasy and idolatry are often represented as adultery.
As such, Jesus says that, “There shall no sign be given to it,” as they were unbelieving to begin with. To give them one would have been casting pearls before swine.
Of course this did not mean he would not work miracles, it meant that He would not provide any for them directly – except for one –
and there shall no sign be given it, “but the sign of Jonas the prophet.”
What was that? Jesus tells us in verse 30:
30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.
How was Jonah a sign to the Ninevites?
The first chapter of Jonah gives us a fascinating parallel to Christ and His life and mission – of course, it does not stand on all fours, but the parallels are present. Take a listen:
Jonah 1:1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
(What was the LORD GOD going to do to Ninevah for its wickedness? He sent Jonah to warn them that they were going to be destroyed – same with Jesus here before this generation in this great wicked city!)
3But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. (A very similar picture of Jesus with the Apostles sleeping on the boat in the midst of the Sea of Galilee)
6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? (I love that name used toward him – O Sleeper) arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. (the very words Peter used when on the stormy sea with Jesus)
7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
12 And he said unto them, (Jonah offered himself to them) Take me up, (akin to lift me up) and cast me forth into the sea; (cast me into death or the grave) so shall the sea be calm unto you (deaths reign will end) for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish because of this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.
15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah was in the belly of the fish which was in the depths of the sea for three days and three nights)
And herein are the signs of Jonah to that wicked Generation. “You want a sign?” Jesus seems to say to them. “Look to Jonah who was cast overboard into the stormy seas as a means to calm them, and was swallowed up by a giant beast that lived in that sea, and was held captive there for three days and three nights before it vomited him up on dry land. And then look to me who will experience a very similar thing.”
This is why Jesus says, in verse 40 of Matthews account:
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
This was the sign for them to look for – The Son of Man, who was sent to them telling that wicked city to repent, and who they would cast into the sea (death) which bears a creature (hell) that would swallow him whole, but vomit him out after three days and three nights.
When you see this, this sign that you are requesting, you ought to repent of your wickedness as the people of Ninevah did.
At this point in Luke 11 Jesus adds something relative to the condemnation of that generation then, saying:
31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
In 1st Kings 10:1 this Queen of the South is called the queen of Sheba, which was in all probability a city of Arabia which rested to the south of Judea.
She travels from the land of Sheba to Jerusalem to meet King Solomon and the narrative says that she was accompanied by many attendants and camels as she brought large quantity of spices, gold and precious stones with her.
She is drawn to Jerusalem because of Solomon’s fame, and she tests the king with hard questions. Solomon is able to answer them all. She is so impressed by Solomon’s wisdom – including the riches of his kingdom, she says:
“Your wisdom and prosperity far surpass the report that I had heard” and she gives King Solomon 120 talents of gold, precious stones and the largest quantity of spices ever brought to Jerusalem.
According to 1st Kings 10 she, in return, is given “every desire that she expressed” by King Solomon and after receiving these gifts she returns to the land of Sheba with her retinue.
When Jesus says that she traveled “from the uttermost parts of the earth,” we know that in the English this in incorrect – but in the Greek she did travel from the uttermost parts of the Ghehay – area or land.
The point here is that since she came from a long distance and went to a lot of trouble to see and meet Solomon to test his wisdom, proving herself a seeker of such, then she would judge THAT wicked GENERATION that Jesus had come to because He was greater than Solomon and THEY went to no trouble to seek Him out.
Then at verse 32 Jesus adds the final warning to THAT Generation, saying that in addition to the Queen of Sheba judging them that . . .
32 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
And this is the whole point – that Generation, which was the recipient of the Promised Messiah, who was wiser than Solomon – whom the Queen of Sheba sought – and far more amazing than Jonah who was swallowed by a fish but got Nineveh to repent – that Generation was about to be judged – at His coming, as promised.
The sign they would be given would be His death and resurrection. When they hear of it, when people bear witness of it – believe the message, and repent, just like the people of Nineveh did upon seeing Jonah after three days in the fish.
By the way, and just as an aside, scientists suggest that if the Jonah and the fish story can be taken literally – which is the way I take it – they suggest that Jonah would have ambled forth from the belly of the great fish bleached white as a ghost, which is another interesting note in the comparison between Jonah and Jesus.
33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
At this point Luke adds some verses that are found in a completely different context compared to how Matthew presents them (which is in the Sermon on the Mount chapters 5 and then some in six) but whatever – I’m guessing Jesus could have repeated some of His teachings. So verse 33-36 we read
33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
The teaching contains some really intriguing statements – so let’s work through them together.
33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
To me, Jesus has just explained that he is greater than Jonah and Solomon – and this part of the teaching SEEMS to be speaking of Him coming and sharing the light within Him, as the Light of the World.
And so, He says
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
He has called them a wicked and adulterous generation, and this could very well be a continuation of this – as a warning – to each individual who heard Him.
They were seeking for a sign, but not in faith. They were dark inside and their ability to discern Him as Lord and King was obscured.
Their eyes were blind, they were clouded, and therefore they were full of darkness, unable to discern truth even when it was standing before them.
And so, Jesus warns them with a phrase that trips me out, saying:
35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
This is worded a bit differently in Matthew 6:22-23 where we read:
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
I find the first sentence interesting, the second fascinating.
“But if thine EYE be evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness.”
This seems to be a Hebraism with the eye representing the heart or mind or the intentions of the individual. If the portal into the soul is bent on evil, the whole person will be full of darkness.
For this reason human beings need to receive a new heart, new eyes and/or a renewed mind, so-as to fill the body of flesh with light.
I love the imagery. Of late I have been blessed with the opportunity to work closely with the father of my flesh. He is not regenerated and is 88 years old.
What makes this really revelatory is he maintains attitudes and views of the world and his relationship to it that directly mirror me before being born from above.
And I actually hear him and watch him say and do the exact same things I used to say and do before Christ – things that are totally self-centered, indifferent to others needs, and even mean.
I cannot deride him – that is how he came out into this world. It is his flesh and he doesn’t seem to know any difference.
But it is frankly embarrassing to see what I once was in the flesh without the presence of God.
The time when my eye was evil and filled the rest of my person with dark.
This passage also gives us insight into darkness that is introduced to the individual and resides therein. If a body is full of darkness, we cannot expect that individual to gravitate toward anything but self; a self that believes it is right, and good, and even appreciated by God.
But the reality is they are filled with an illumination that is dark – as Jesus describes.
He then presents a line that has fascinated me since the first time I read it, which says:
“If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”
Looking at my father, and his wisdom of the world, unregenerated from the fall, he sees his ways as advanced, cunning, and even powerful. He believes he has been illuminated by the wisdom of the world, and therefore has been equipped with what is of most value – worldly wisdom.
I love the man and am so grateful for his sacrifices for my siblings and self – he was a man who wanted to provide and raise his children with all the things he never had.
But the treasure trove of his mind, while adept and negotiating a contract, or inventing a contraption, is absent the light; it is a light that never warms, “a light,” as Jesus warns against, “that is darkness because in the end it illuminates only in the realms of the flesh, and not beyond.
This is how I interpret such light – as being the utility here, but nowhere else.
I frequently liken this light to Las Vegas at night. Something that used to fill me with excitement – even as a child – when my parents would take us there with my grandparents and we would stay on the strip.
Driving into that valley and seeing it all lit up at night was a sight to behold, and driving down the strip – even in the 1960’s – was dazzling to the eyes.
But what also amazed me was that after filling my eyes with those wonder of the world, we would check in to a hotel, shut the curtains, and go to sleep.
And I would wake up to someone pulling the drapes open – and I would look out over the city and see it in the light God provides us – the sun.
And it looked drained, yellow and gray and dead – as if it was a once thriving fire-breathing monster with green eyes now dead and rotting in the sun.
I can still see in my minds eye the difference – not only from above the city but going down below and walking on the strip in the morning.
The sallow shamed uneven faces, the filthy streets littered with adverts.
A light that is actually darkness.
A light that never warms.
A light that only illuminates in the temporal but has no revelatory value to the things of God.
This is the type of light that was bestowed to others in the reign of Satan, as Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 11:14-15:
“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (and adds)
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Jesus continues, however and adds at verse 36 the opposite, saying:
36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
In scripture “candle” which could be a candle or a torch and is often called a lamp, is referred to a number of times in the Old Testament as the light by which God leads those who are His.
Job 29:3 says, speaking of God: When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness.”
That is the light we seek – His light, shining upon us and helping us navigate the dark light of this world.
Proverbs 20:27 reads:
The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
And Psalm 18:28 “For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.”
Sadly, scripture – especially Job and the Proverbs, speak of the fire light or candle being snuffed out, saying:
Proverbs 24:20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
Job 18:6 reads:
The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.
And Job 21:17 says:
“How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.”
And finally,
Job 18:6 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.
All of these suggest that the light that is in all people can, perhaps will, be put out, at some point in time, once the absolute rejection of God has taken place.
New Testament texts likens the candle to human conscience, and of the example Christians give to the world.
Bottom line – human beings are either led and illuminated by His light that is eternal, real and trustworthy, or a light that is actually darkness, ethereal, and short lived.
This leads us to the next section of our verse by verse – the place in Luke where Jesus and the Pharisees come face to face.
Let’s read it in preparation for next week beginning at verse 37:
37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.
39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
45 Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.
46 And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
47 Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.
49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.
53 And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:
54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.
And with that are there any comments or questions?
PRAYER
