I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine (Mark 15)
Mark 15 once again is going to be largely a repeat of the issues in Matthew 27. Looking through the notes, I see two issues not covered yet, one of which I have an answer for, and one of which I don't....
View ArticleWho shall ascend into heaven? (Mark 16)
Mark 16 is going to be largely a repeat of all the questions from Matthew 28 (please check that one out as it explains a lot), but I know all of the resurrection accounts have their own quirks that...
View ArticleA declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us (Intro...
I was thinking that I wasn't really satisfied with the way my coverage of the book of Mark ended up. The thing is, it's been my policy in general that when I've covered a topic, rather than going over...
View ArticleAnd the number of them, after their genealogy by their generations (Luke 3)
The first issue the SAB brings up in Luke 3 is the harsh language John the Baptist uses in reference to the people who come out to see him. While in some of the parallel accounts the phrase "generation...
View ArticleThe LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek (Luke 4)
Here's where I'm really going to feel like I'm repeating myself, as this scene in Luke 4 doesn't change much between the Gospels. Jesus goes off into the wilderness and fasts for forty days. Note that...
View ArticleAnd his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin? (Luke 5)
In Luke 5, the SAB finds absurdity with the opening story of Jesus helping Simon Peter catch the huge amount of fish. Really, it is a ridiculous story; that's actually sort of the point of miracles...
View ArticleJudge not, that ye be not judged (Luke 6)
Luke 6 does open with a bit of odd wording, as the SAB notes, but it quickly develops into a story that's a common one for the Gospels: arguments between Jesus and the Pharisees over the technicalities...
View ArticleAnd when he knew it of the centurion (Luke 7)
Luke 7 opens with the story of a centurion asking Jesus to heal his slave. The story here is told differently than it is in Matthew 8, prompting the SAB to ask "Did the centurion ask Jesus directly to...
View ArticleThe maid is not dead, but sleepeth (Luke 8)
The SAB opens up Luke 8 with a verse marked as absurd. I'm sure I've commented on it before, but I'm never quite sure what to do with charges of absurdity, mostly because it's largely a matter of...
View ArticleNeither shoes, nor yet staves (Luke 9)
In Luke 9, Jesus sends the apostles out to do work such as healing the sick and casting out demons. In examining Jesus' instructions here and elsewhere, the SAB asks, Did Jesus tell his apostles to go...
View ArticleWhat shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? (Luke 10)
Luke 10 opens with a repeat of a question from the last chapter, so I'm skipping it. Since Jesus tells his disciples to eat whatever is given to them, the SAB asks What kind of animals may we eat?...
View ArticleFor he that is not against us is for us (Luke 11)
Luke 11 opens with another side note from the works of Bart Ehrman, who I know came up in an earlier post. It always seems a little strange to me when the SAB takes a bit of time to go outside of...
View ArticleThink not that I am come to send peace on earth (Luke 12)
In Luke 12, the first question given by the SAB is Should we fear God? The answer is yes, but I suppose the given verses imply a need for some explanation. I think the real point of those verses in the...
View ArticleAnd her spirit came again, and she arose straightway (Luke 13)
At the beginning of Luke 13, Jesus gives an admonition to the people listening that unless they repent, they will perish. The SAB marks this as unjust and cruel, but I think Jesus is just talking about...
View ArticleHonour thy father and thy mother (Luke 14)
Wow, Luke 14 has very few notes; this could be another short one, especially since I'm skipping the note on verse 11, as I somewhat explained a few days ago. The question of Has there ever been a just...
View ArticleTake now thy son, thine only son (Luke 15 and a look at parables)
Luke 15 has only two questions, both of which are very easy, so I'm going to do something a little different here, but first the questions: Has there ever been a just person? Answered in this post. Is...
View ArticleWhosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication,...
So, Luke 16... Did I mention that parables are weird? Let's just move down to verse 15. The SAB says "That which is highly esteemed among men [love, wisdom, honesty, courage, truth, beauty, etc.] is...
View ArticleServants, be subject to your masters with all fear (Luke 17)
I couldn't remember why I had taken such a long break from writing these entries other than the fact that I'd been a bit more busy lately. Then I looked at Luke 17, and remembered: Luke really is...
View ArticleHow hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of...
Luke 18 opens with a parable, and while I have already said that parables are weird, and this one's no exception, I think Jesus explains it pretty plainly. The idea is that if even a judge who seems to...
View ArticleAnd Jesus went into the temple of God (Luke 19)
After a short little bit about Jesus and Zaccheus, Luke 19 launches into another strange parable. I feel that I should point out that this is not a parable that Jesus introduces with "The Kingdom of...
View ArticleThy dead men shall live (Luke 20)
The Parable in the early part of Luke 20 is once again not a parable that Jesus precedes with "The Kingdom of God is like..." but I think the parallels in this case are too obvious to not assume that...
View ArticleFor we have seen his star in the east (Luke 21)
Luke 21 opens with Jesus giving commentary on some people giving money at the temple; in particular, he points out a widow who puts in a tiny amount of money as having "cast in more money than they...
View ArticleBefore the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice (Luke 22)
Luke 22 opens with the intriguing question Did Satan enter Judas before or after the last supper? I suppose the SAB can see this as a contradiction, but it's quite possible that Satan entered into him...
View ArticleAnd king Herod heard of him (Luke 23)
The first question the SAB brings up on Luke 23 is Who put the robe on Jesus? This is a fascinating question because it highlights an even bigger question that the SAB fails to ask. Why is Luke's...
View ArticleUntil the day in which he was taken up (Luke 24)
Luke 24 is a big one, but what the heck, let's do it all in one big post, shall we? Was the tomb opened or closed? Were the men (or angels) inside or outside? Were the men or angels sitting or...
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