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    Luke 20:41-21:4
    Lesson 152

    Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

    In this lesson:
     
    Jesus' last visit to the Temple.  
     
    It's Tuesday of Passion Week.  Jesus has three days to live.
    Study Tip:

    Remember to check out the Margin Notes.

    The Gospel According to St. Luke

    The King James Bible    ​

    Luke 20:41-21:4
    Teaching in the Temple
    ​
    41 And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?

    42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

    43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

    44 David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?

    45 Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,

    46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

    47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

    ​Luke 21:1-4
    The poor widow

    1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

    2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

    3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

    4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.     
    ​Margin notes: 
     
    "How say they that Christ is David's son?" (20:41) - The Sadducees' knew that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David (Matthew 22:42).
     
    "Book of Psalms." (20:42) - Jesus is referring to Psalms 110:1 written by King David nine hundred years before His birth.  It tells us that the Messiah would be both man (David's "son") and God ("Lord").  See "Today's Question" below.   
     
    "In the audience of all the people." (20:45) - Means, "Within hearing of all the people."
     
    "Long robes." (20:46) - Scribes wore ornate ankle-length fringed robes made of white linen.
     
    "Chief rooms at feasts." (20:46) - "Place of honor at feasts."
     
    "Devour widows' houses." (20:47) - Scribes received no pay.  They lived on charity and often exploited vulnerable widows' for donations. 
     
    "The treasury." (21:1) - This refers to the thirteen collection boxes in the Temple area known as the "court of the women."  Seven boxes were for the Temple tax and six for freewill giving.   
     
    "Two mites." (21:2) - Mites were made of copper and were the smallest denomination coin used in Palestine.
     
    "These have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God." (21:4) - "These (the rich men) donated out of their surplus." 
     
    "She of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had." (21:4) - "She in her poverty put in all that she had." ​
    You can read more about the poor widow's sacrifice in Mark 12:41-44 (lesson 90).
    New Living Translation
    Luke 20:41-21:4
    Whose Son Is the Messiah?
     
    41 Then Jesus presented them with a question. "Why is it," he asked, "that the Messiah is said to be the son of David?

    42 For David himself wrote in the book of Psalms:
     
      'The Lord said to my Lord,
          Sit in the place of honor at my right hand

    43 until I humble your enemies,
          making them a footstool under your feet.'
     
    44 Since David called the Messiah 'Lord,' how can the Messiah be his son?"
     
    45 Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said,

    46 "Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.

    47 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished."
     
    Luke 21:1-4
    The Widow's Offering
     
    1 While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box.

    2 Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.
     
    3 "I tell you the truth," Jesus said, "this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them.

    4 For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has."     

    ​This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
    Today's question:
     
    1. What is Jesus telling the Pharisees? (21:41-44)



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    Answer: (Do you agree?)
     
    1. Jesus is telling the Pharisees that He is the Messiah they have been waiting for.  But they don't believe it.  The Pharisees' thought when the Messiah came; He would be a descendant of King David come to restore Israel's greatness.  By quoting Psalms 110:1, Jesus shows that even centuries earlier, King David knew the Messiah would be human, but also divine.  Since the Pharisees' believe that no man stands above King David, and David called the Messiah "my lord" (20:44), the Messiah must be both human and God.  Still, the Pharisees cling to their false belief.



    Application thought for the day:  
     
    "Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea, until he has something to forgive."  C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)    ​
    Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; "The Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies"; "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible".  All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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