Lesson 9

Matthew 10–12; Mark 2; Luke 7; 11 (Lesson 9)

Matthew 8:1-17. Jesus Has Power Over Disease.

1.        What is leprosy?  It is one of many skin ailments including Hansen’s disease, elephantiasis, Psoriasis, vitiligo.  The affliction here was one that had prescriptions in Mosaic Law.  Christ would want the man afflicted such to go to his priest and follow the prescribed procedure found in the Mosaic Law.

2.       Why did Christ perform a miracle to cleanse the leper?  There were several reasons.

a.       He wanted to show compassion.

b.      He wanted to teach, inspire, and motivate the individual.

c.       He was testifying of His Messiahship and that He was the Son of God.

d.      He was testifying to all that He had sufficient power to perform the atonement and to bring immortality and eternal life to all mankind.

3.       Why did Jesus instruct the leper to tell no man of the healing, but to go to the priest straight away?  The healed leper needed to obey Levitical requirements for ceremonial cleanliness.  Jesus wanted to avoid feeding the flames of persecution that were springing up wherever He was.

4.       Who marveled at the centurion’s faith in verse 10?  Joseph Smith taught that it was not Jesus who marveled at the centurion’s faith, but those who were with him as he expressed faith in Jesus’ healing powers.

5.       In verse 11 what does it mean to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?  I found this explanation to be quite meaningful.  “At formal meals it had become customary to recline on couches, or pillows. . . . Eating together connoted . . . fellowship and solidarity” (Gundry, Matthew, 145).  If we think about this from a scriptural standpoint, the fellowship describes the final supper and the gathering of all of Israel.  Not only will we sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but with all the prophets and we will inherit the kingdom of God.

6.       Why did Jesus touch people when giving them blessings?  The laying on of hands has a distinct meaning and purpose in the Bible.  Authority and power was not passed literally through the arms and hands to the individual.  Instead, the laying on of hands was a symbolic representation of who or what was the focus of the ritual action.  We see that Christ’s work was not just a mission to large groups, but also to individuals.  There are lots of accounts in the New Testament of Christ’s direct physical contact with individuals to heal them.  We even know of cases when individuals reached out to touch the Savior.  In the case of the woman with the issue of blood, the Savior felt His “virtue” leave His body.  The virtue referred to the spirit of life and those who give blessings will attest in many cases that they become weakened when giving blessings.  There is a transfer of power in such ministrations.  The laying on of hands is always sacred, and involves prayers offered.  In each instance of this ministration something is achieved through the practice, even though the laying on of hands is a symbolic action (Holzapfel, “One by One,” 183-84).

7.       What are the purposes of miracles?  They are to console the Saints, and to strengthen and confirm the faith of those who love, respect and serve God.

Matthew 8:18-22.  The Demands of Being a Disciple are Explained.

1.        When did the Son of Man receive a place of His own?  This is not a reference to His personal residence.  He could always go to Mary.  Pres.  Ezra Taft Benson explained this had reference to no dedicated, acceptable house of the Lord.  The temple of Solomon was desecrated as was the next temple.  In today’s world every temple built by the Latter-day Saints provides a residence for the Son of God.  Remember he had to drive out the money changers, abusers, and blasphemers from the temple.  He told them they had made His house a house of thieves.

2.       What is meant in verse 22 by the seemingly harsh declaration, “Let the dead bury their dead”?  It seems that this man had been set apart to service which would transcend all personal or family obligations.  His ministerial requirements would take precedence.  Every priest and every Nazarite made a vow to serve in the kingdom and would see to spiritual matters.  Those not called to such spiritual service should be the ones to bury their dead.

Matthew 8:23-34.  The Savior Has Power over the Elements and Devils.

1.        This is the story of the devils asking to be cast into the bodies of the swine.  Why would these spirits mention a specific time of torment?    According to Joseph Smith wicked spirits have boundaries, limits, and laws that govern them or control them.  They know their future destiny already.

2.       Why would these unembodied spirits want the body of swine?  This is based on the doctrine that we came to earth to receive a body and that at a future time we will present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom.  The plan of salvation or plan of happiness is that we obtain a body.  Satan and his minions do not have a body.  This is their punishment.  These devils want a tabernacle of man, and when asking to go into the herd of swine, they are saying they would prefer a swine’s body to not having a body.  Anyone who has a body has power over those who do not.  Our bodies give us the power to produce life.  Satan cannot bring forth life.  In this he is impotent.  These devils begged to inhabit the bodies of swine, because the swine had this power that they did not have.  They did not get to use it.

3.       Why do divine and dramatic miracles sometimes elicit such odd responses from worldly people?  When these types saw a dramatic miracle, it created fear rather than faith.  To follow Christ would mean they had to give up their way of life.  Because of their worldly and carnal nature they did not want to accept the gospel.  They were comfortable the way they were.  They preferred to gratify their own sensual appetites rather than forsake the world.  Men in the final analysis are controlled and governed by the desires of their hearts.  They will rebel against the truth, reject the prophets and as these people did, ask Jesus to “depart out of their coasts.”

Matthew 9.

Matthew 9:1-8.  Jesus forgives and heals a paralytic.

1.       Why did Matthew refer to Capernaum as Jesus’ own city?  Wasn’t Nazareth His city?  The people of Nazareth rejected Christ and the Savior made Capernaum His city.  This is where He called Peter, James, John, Andrew and Matthew as disciples.  It is interesting to note that Capernaum means “village of Nahum” or village of comfort or consolation.  Jesus had great compassion on these people and provided comfort for them.  He went about casting out devils, healing all that were sick, and raising the dead.  He might very well have performed more miracles here than in any other place.

2.       What is the connection between divine healing and forgiveness of sins?  McConkie teaches that the fact that a baptized member of the church has matured in the gospel to the point that he has power through faith in Christ to be healed, means that he also has so lived that he is entitled to have his sins remitted.  Pres. Marion G. Romney testified that “conversion is effected by divine forgiveness, which remits sins.  The sequence is something like this.  An honest seeker hears the message.  He asks the Lord in prayer if it is true.  The Holy Spirit gives him a witness.  This is a testimony.  If one’s testimony is strong enough, he repents and obeys the commandments.  By such obedience he receives divine forgiveness which remits sin.  Thus he is converted to a newness of life.  His spirit is healed.”  It appears that the remittance of sins is the therapy which healed the paralytic man.  In this instance there was physical healing.  Sometimes there is also a healing of the nervous system or of the mind.  It is the remission of sins which heals the spirit.  This is why conversion and healing are repeatedly associated.  The companion truth that the Son of God forgives sins is that he forgives sin upon the earth, and not just in the final judgment.

Matthew 9:9-17.  The Savior calls Matthew and teaches about eating and fasting.

1.        Who were the publicans and how were they received by the Jews?  They were social outcasts.  They collected money.  They were classed with and considered to be sinners.  Even the rabbis considered them cutthroats and robbers.  Religiously publicans were half-excommunicated.  In Mark 2:15-17 we learn that Jesus ate and socialized with these publicans and sinners.  He was questioned about this by the Pharisees.

2.       What was his response to their accusations? He came into the world to call sinners, not the righteous to repent.  Christ was condemned by the self-righteous Jews because he took sinners into His presence.  He did so upon the principle that they repented of their sins.

3.       How could anyone know the disciples were not fasting?  The banquet rooms were on the first floor and the rooms had one side open to the street so the guests could enter easily.  Adjustable curtains at the door gave some privacy, but passersby could look in to see was being entertained or eating and it was not impolite to even talk to the guests.  This is why the Pharisees would know with whom Jesus was dining.

4.       What did the Savior mean when he spoke about new cloth and new wine?  Joseph Smith explained the focus in this way.  The Pharisees were asking why Jesus would not accept their baptism.  After all, they believed they were keeping the whole law.  Jesus told them they were not keeping the law.  He did not accept their baptism because it was not doing what it was intended to do.  The symbolism used here about placing a piece of “new cloth unto an old garment” and putting “new wine into old bottles” is in reference to baptism and not to fasting as the King James Version supposes.  Because these next verses follow the discussion of fasting, we are led to believe this is what Jesus was referring to fasting.  He was actually referring to baptism.  Jesus is the author of the Law of Moses and the Law was going to be fulfilled in Jesus.  The Pharisees’ baptism was now useless.  Why?  The people needed to be baptized into the new dispensation with its proper authority.  The old dispensation was ending—dying, if you will.  In Mark 2:21-22 explains that the Jewish adherence to the old law was no longer necessary and would be useless conjoined with His new law.  He explained that older clothes had already shrunk somewhat from washing.  Wine could be kept in jars or wineskins.  The old wineskins had already been stretched to capacity by the fermenting wine.  If they filled the old wineskin with unfermented wine, which was already stretched to the limit, the wineskin would burst as the wine fermented.

Matthew 9:18-38.  The Lord Restores Life, Sight, and Speech and Preaches the Gospel.

1.       Why would the woman with the issue of blood believe she could be healed if she touché Jesus’ hem on his robe?  In ancient times the Jews were commanded to border or fringe their outer garments with blue cloth.  In this way the children of Israel could look upon it and remember all the commandments given to them by the Lord and would be expected to do them.  This comes from Numbers 15:39.  By the time Jesus came most Jews failed to border their clothing.  But they continued to reverence the hems of the outer robes.  This woman remembered and had knowledge of the commandments given and thus had a great desire to touch the hem of Jesus.  She likely associated the fringe as having religious power.  That said, it was her faith that healed her and not the fringe.

2.       How did this “diseased woman” become whole?  She was healed physically, but she was also healed spiritually.  She had been downhearted and distraught.  She reached out to Christ and knew that she was not forgotten—not an outcast.  She could go to him any time and He would lift her.  What a wonderful lesson for each of us—we are not forgotten and He will take us by the hand and lift us and will come to us.  He is very aware of each of us.

3.       What did Jesus tell the blind man in verse 30?  Brother Ludlow explained that in the verse “straitly” is usually translated ‘sternly’ in most modern translations.  Elder McConkie went on to point out”  “Healed persons are obligated to repay Deity for his beneficent goodness to them, insofar as they can, by devoted service in his cause.  They have no right to turn again to evil practices or former false beliefs.  Such would make a mockery of the sacred power exercised in their behalf.”

4.       Is there a correlation between the opposition of the Pharisees to the Savior and the opposition to our prophet and head of the church in our day?  In Christ’s day the Pharisees accused Jesus as using the power of the adversary in His healings, etc.  This is how they explained his successes.  There will always be opposition, criticism, and antagonism to the truth.  No matter how that truth is delivered or revealed there will always be an effort to deceive, derail, oppose, and frustrate the plan of salvation.

5.       In verses 37-38 the Savior calls for more laborers.  How was the call for additional laborers fulfilled?  There were so many who would accept the gospel, but he could not physically reach and teach each one.  The Twelve Apostles were called, given authority, and were sent forth to teach, preach, and testify of Christ.  Later the Savior sent 70 more men to preach.  We have the Quorum of the 70 today to help in that effort.  This is why we are asked to teach our neighbors and associates today—to help bring others unto Christ.

Mark 2-5

Mark 2: 1-12.  Jesus forgives and heals a paralyzed man.

1.       What is the significance of the paralytic being carried by “four faith-filled friends”?  The symbolism is it usually takes more than one person to save those who are paralyzed by sin.  It is summarized well by the old proverb, “It takes a village.”  It will take a village or host of people helping to move someone steeped in sin toward Christ.  One person could not hoist the paralytic to the roof alone.  It will take many to save a struggling soul.

2.       How was Jesus’ pronouncement of forgiveness far more credible when coupled with telling the man to arise, take up his bed, and walk?  Only God can forgive the man’s sins.  Anyone could assert the sins of the man were forgiven.  But to tell the man to get up and take up his bed and walk could be tested immediately by whether or not he walked or not.  Thus by coupling these two pronouncements, the idea that Jesus was God and had the authority to forgive sins was much more credible.  Jesus was proving his divine power by healing the forgiven man.  He who could do one, could do the other.  Forgiveness of sins comes only by compliance with the law of forgiveness which the Lord ordained.  McConkie said, “That the paralytic here healed had complied with the law is evident; otherwise the Lord Jesus, whose law it is, would not have pronounced the heartening benediction.  ‘Thy sins be forgiven thee.’  Our Lord’s ministry was in conformity, not in opposition, to his own laws.”

3.       What is the lesson to be learned from the Savior’s healing of the paralytic? (See verses 10-12)  The Son of Man of Righteousness forgives sin.  Jesus forgives sins upon the earth, and not just at the Final Judgment.  He never excuses our sins.  But when we repent and obey His gospel, He forgives us right then.

Mark 2:13-22.  Jesus came to help sinners.

See questions 1 and 4 above for a correlation with verses 15-22.

Mark 2:23-28.  Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.

1.       Why did the Pharisees view the disciples’ Sabbath day activities as a violation of the Law of Moses?  The Pharisees had laws regulating the Sabbath observance. These laws were divided into 39 categories and many more subcategories.  The behaviors focused on behavior rather than on devotion.  It was all so burdensome and not a delight of delight.  It was all about what you could not do and the focus should have been upon why one should remember the day as sacred and holy and true worship.  The day is about our attitudes and innermost desires and feelings of love, devotion, and appreciation for the Lord and his infinite atoning sacrifice.  The Sabbath is a constant reminder of our unique relationship to God as one of His children.

2.       Why would the Savior use the example of King David feeding his soldiers showbread from the temple in His explanation?  The men were hungry.  We are not told that detail in 1 Samuel 21.  The Savior was pointing out that in the case of serious need, even sacred temple showbread could be used for food.

3.       What did the Savior teach when he said the Sabbath was made for man?  The Sabbath was His gift, a real respite from the rigors of daily life and an opportunity for spiritual and physical renewal.  It is a rest from duty.  This is what Pres. Nelson has taught us about the Sabbath.  The Hebrew word for Sabbath means “rest.”  Even the Lord rested from His labors after creating for 6 days.  When the Ten Commandments were given to Moses, God commanded that we remember the Sabbath day and to keep it holy.  Later the Sabbath was observed as a reminder of the deliverance of Israel from their bondage in Egypt.  It was given as a perpetual covenant and a constant reminder that the Lord may sanctify His people.  In our day we partake of the sacrament on the Sabbath and renew our covenant of being willing to take upon us His name and to remember the Atonement.  We are under covenant to keep the Sabbath as a day to remember Him.

4.       How can the Sabbath bless all of God’s children? If used for its intended purposes we can elevate our vision from the things of the world to the blessings of eternity.  We are reminded of and receive once again the promises that we can become partakers of the divine nature of Christ.  The Sabbath should be a spiritual catalyst to deepen our conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ.  What we become is the result of our knowledge of and willingness to learn from Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  It is not the sum total of our daily pursuits over our lifetime.  The gospel is so much more than a checklist of discrete tasks performed.

5.       What is meant by the expression “the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath”?  Joseph Smith clarified this passage.  The clarification would read:  “Wherefore the Sabbath was given unto man for a day of rest; and also that man should glorify God, and not that man should not eat; for the Son of Man made the Sabbath day.  Thus the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

Mark 3

Mark 3:1-6.  Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath Day.

1.       How is Jesus’ response to the Pharisees a good counter to their doctrine and practice?  The intent of the Pharisees was to destroy Christ.  Christ tried to show them true orthodoxy consisted of keeping the doctrines, ordinances, covenants, and in our day, the programs of the Church and Christian service in proper balance.  We are not excused in this balancing act from exercising good judgment.

2.       Who were the Herodians and why would the Pharisees be counseling with them?  These people were a political group with aspirations to reestablish King Herod’s dynastic rule over Israel and they may have included members of the Herodian family.  The Pharisees were normally at odds with Herodian claims.  But they must have felt they needed the political power of this group to destroy Jesus because they had no power to do so.  It was Herod Antipas who had arrested and killed John, the Baptist.

Mark 3:7-12.  Jesus heals Many People.

1.        Why were so many people in the multitude trying to simply touch the Master?  Even though he had earlier told the leper to tell no one of the healing, the man told any way.  This caused Jesus’ fame to spread rapidly and people came to him.  Israelites from all these areas flocked to him which was an indication that a renewal of all Israel was happening.

Mark 3:13-21.  The calling of the Twelve Apostles and their ordination.

1.        Why is important for us to know how the Savior called His original 12 apostles?  The step of calling 12 apostles is a major step in the formal organization of Christ’s earthly Church or kingdom.  Each was given keys to perform and regulate the affairs of the Church once Christ was gone.  In due course each man would die and new apostles with those keys would be needed to carry on the work.

2.       Why were James and John known as the sons of Thunder?  Thunder in the Jewish vernacular was a symbol of divine power and vengeance.  The title was symbolic of their zealous desire to destroy Samaritan villagers who had refused hospitality to Jesus.

3.       Why do we not see Thaddaeus in all lists of the apostles?  It is believed his original name may have been Judas and it was changed later because the meaning of Thaddaeus is warm-hearted.  This would distinguish him from Judas Iscariot and would keep the stigma of the name Judas from spoiling Thaddaeus’ good name.

Mark 3:22-30.  Jesus responds to those who call Him Satan.

1.        Why would the Pharisees accuse Jesus of being the devil?  In Leviticus 20:27 there is a reference making reliance on the power of spirits an offense punishable by stoning.  The accusation is a legal maneuver.

2.       In what way did the Savior’s response refute the Pharisees’ accusation that He cast out devils by Satan’s power?  It was a simple statement repeated in different ways so there could be no misunderstanding.  No power that is divided has any chance of standing.  Even if the scribes continue to say this, Satan’s rule is at an end.  By casting out devils Jesus was offering to them conclusive and irrefutable proof that he is the promised Messiah.  There are several ways to reason:

a.       Devils are not cast out except by the power of faith and the authority of the priesthood.  Since Jesus actually cast out devils and this was evident to the Pharisees and all the people, they should have seen that Jesus operated in harmony with the Spirit of God, which is the true Church.  This true church had come among the men of that day.

b.      Jesus kept telling them He was the Son of God.  If he were lying, he would not have had the Spirit of God with him to cast out devils.  The Spirit only attests and seals that which is true and without that Spirit, our Lord would not have been able to cast out devils.

3.       How can a person blaspheme against the Holy Ghost?  The process is simple.  Every transgression that man may commit has a salvation for it here or in the world to come.  There is only one transgression called the unpardonable sin.  If a man receives the Holy Ghost, sees the heavens opened to him, knows God, and then sins against Him, he has blasphemed the Holy Ghost.  The consequence is eternal damnation.  This will result in them becoming a son of perdition.

Mark 3:31-35.  Jesus’ family looks for Him.

1.        What do we learn from Jesus’ seeming rejection of His family in verses 31-35?  His work took precedence over the claims of family and kinship.  He was saying he could not meet his relatives right then.

Mark 4.

Mark 4:1-20.  Jesus gives the Parable of the Sower and Interprets It.

1.        Explain the parable of the sower.  It compares how different people respond to the gospel messages.  This particular parable declares there will be an Apostasy and the need for a restoration.  The wayward heart is overcome by Satan.  The hard heart is overcome by tribulation.  The questioning heart is overcome by the world, while the soft heart grows and produces.

2.       In what ways will riches deceive us?  When we are focused on materialism –the theology of prosperity are suffering from the deceitfulness of riches.  It is not a mark of divine favor and the absence of riches is not evidence of disfavor.  We tend to forget from whence those kinds of blessings come and then we forget to hearken to the words of God who gave us those riches.  They are overlooked as gifts and considered earnings.

3.       What are the fruits of those who “hear the word, and receive it”?  The degree to which we willingly obey the gospel, and resist rationalizing to do otherwise, will determine the degree to which we are converted.  This in turn determines how fully the Lord can bless us.

Mark 4:21-25.  Jesus gives and explains the parable of the candle under a bushel.

1.        What is hidden that will be disclosed in verse 22?  Nothing is ever hidden from the Lord as he sees and knows everything.  In our day He will reveal all to us.  Nothing will be kept from the understanding of the righteous.

Mark 4:26-29.  Jesus gives the parable of the seed growing by itself.

1.        What does this parable mean?  It is teaching about partnership between God and man.  Man sows seeds in the environment where growth can occur.  Then he must stand back and wait for the growth to occur.  The earth will bring forth as God created and designed this to happen.  It is God who gives the miraculous increase.  Only God makes things grow.  This applies not only to spiritual growth, but also to growth in the church.  In giving this parable to his disciples, the Savior wanted them to understand that they were expected to more fully receive into their hearts the truths Jesus was teaching them and he wanted them to apply them to their lives.

Mark 4:30-34.  Jesus gives the parable of the mustard seed.

1.        Why does the Savior talk about the fowls of the air lodging in the branches of the mustard tree?  The kingdom of God is like the little seed.  It is small but brings forth a large tree.  The fowls are the angels who have come down and combine together to gather their children.

Mark 4:35-41.  Jesus Calms the Sea.

1.        Can we find peace amid life’s trials?  Yes.  The Lord is aware of us and he does not always intervene in the course of events.  He promises peace to the faithful even in our trials and tribulations.

2.       Can we calm the storms of our lives?  We can have peace of spirit by continual obedience and repentance.

Mark 5.

Mark 5:1-20.  Jesus commands devils to leave a man.

1.        What does the man from the tombs having an unclean spirit mean?  Somehow he was possessed of evil spirits.  We do not know how this came about.

2.       What does the name Legion mean?  A legion in the Roman army amounted to some 6,000 men.  It really means an indefinitely large number.  The number here was so great as to cause some 2,000 swine to run down a steep slope and drown themselves.

3.       Who owned this herd of swine?  It is likely they were owned by Romans.  Apostate or liberal Jews might have owned them.  They would not have been following Mosaic Law.  There was a Roman legion stationed in the area and they had a boar as its insignia.

4.       What happened to the man from whom Jesus cast out a legion of demons?  This man became a missionary, preaching the great things Jesus had done.

Mark 5:21-43.  Jesus heals a woman and raises a girl from death.

1.        What is learned about Jairus?  This was a man of rank and prestige and the Jews looked upon him with great respect.  He was a ruler of the synagogue as the larger synagogues presided over a college of elders under the direction of one.  Jairus was such a one.   He knelt before the Savior.  He acknowledges his personal faith.  Anything Jesus would lay his hands upon, lived—be it a marriage or a family.  Anyone who takes the Savior’s hand will be lifted and raised.  We just have to permit him to take our hand.

2.       Why might it be significant that Jesus takes only Peter, James, and John to heal Telitha, the daughter of Jairus?  They are considered the first presidency and as such they have different roles from the other apostles.

Luke 7, 11.

Luke 7.

Luke 7:1-10.  Jesus heals the Roman Centurion’s Servant.

1.       Who was the centurion?  He was a roman legionary officer and would have been a commanding officer for 50-100 men.  He was a heathen.  He may have been favorably impressed by the Jews but he was not a follower of Jesus.

2.       Why did the centurion’s request demonstrate remarkable faith?  McConkie gave great insight into this question.  He said, “The centurion’s reasoning—profound in logic, perfect in showing forth faith—was to this effect:  If I, a mere officer in the Roman army, must obey my superiors, and also have power myself to send others forth at my command, then surely the Lord of all needs but speak and his will shall be done.”

3.       What important doctrine did the Savior underscore by healing the centurion’s servant?  His kingdom and his power to save were for the righteous and faithful of all nations.  He emphasized that without faith and righteousness, even the Jews would lose their blessings.

Luke 7:11-17. The Savior Raises the Son of the Widow of Nain

1.        Why was the healing of the widow’s son unique?  She did not ask for help as far as we know.  He demonstrated his great compassion by seeing her silent pleadings of a broken heart.

2.       Why did those who witnessed Jesus’ raising the widow’s son declare Him to be a great prophet?  The people probably saw the similarities between Christ’s ministry and that of Elijah and Elisha, both of which restored life to the sons of widows in that area.

Luke 7:18-35.  Jesus responds to a question from disciples of John the Baptist and testifies of John’s mission.

1.        Why did John send his followers to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah?  He knew that Jesus was the Messiah.  He sent these followers for their own enlightenment.  This would be a testament that what John had been teaching and preaching was true.

2.       Is there a trait we need to guard against being offended by the Savior?  We need humbleness of mind or we will reject his emissaries and him.

3.       How did John prepare the way for the Savior?    He preached repentance, spoke against the evils and wrongdoing of the people, and he proclaimed the arrival of the Messiah was imminent.  He even identified him personally and publicly when he had arrived in their midst.  He attracted those men who would become the Apostles to the Lord.  It appears all of the apostles had been tutored by John.  John aroused the nation.  He then encouraged his converts to leave him and follow Jesus as he knew who the bridegroom was and that his role was to decrease as the Savior’s role increased.

4.       Why was John called the greatest prophet?  Joseph Smith taught:

a.       He was entrusted with a divine mission of preparing the way before the face of the Lord.

b.      He was entrusted with the important mission to baptize Jesus and he witnessed the Holy Ghost descend in the sign of the dove as a witness to the administration of this ordinance.

c.       He was the only legal administrator in the affairs of the kingdom on earth and held the keys of power.

5.        What was the lesson Jesus taught the Jewish leaders in His parable of the children in the marketplace?  The leaders were like children who complained no matter what tune was played.  When John refused to eat bread or drink wine, the religious leaders dismissed him as demon-possessed.  Jesus was accused of living loosely and associated with sinner.  No matter what the style of God’s messenger was, the religious leaders complained and rejected him.

Luke 7:36-50.  A woman washes the Savior’s feet with her tears, and he forgives her sins.

1.        Do we know the woman?  We don’t.

2.       What principle was Jesus teaching Simon regarding his actions versus the actions of the woman?   Simon had shown a lack of respect by withholding the niceties customary to an honored guest.  In complete and stark contrast the woman demonstrated deep reverence and devotion by performing these ordinary acts of kindness in extraordinary ways.

3.       What is the relationship between our love for the Savior and His forgiveness of our sins?  Forgiveness comes not only from visible but also invisible evidences that a person seeks it and manifests itself in the good that results.  Our penitence is an expression of love.  It is a continuing awareness of unworthiness.

4.       What role does our faith play in having our sins forgiven?  The woman shows that she had great faith in the Savior’s ability to forgive and she sought this blessing.  She had trust in him and was apparently moved to act on that trust and faith.  She did not care what others thought of her and she broke social conventions to act.  Those actions made her faith visible to all.

Luke 11

Luke 11:1-13.  Jesus teaches his disciples to pray.

1.       Why is this teaching about prayer a perfect pattern for disciples and what did Jesus teach all of us about the importance of prayer?  It is only a sample of how Deity is appropriately addressed and of the praise and adoration that should be extended to God and of the type and kind of petitions men should make to him.  The disciples saw Jesus praying so often they asked him to teach them how to pray.  The Savior prayed for His disciples that Satan would not have them.  Prayer was central to the Gethsemane experience.  He prayed in his agony.  It is only in Luke that we find the parables about prayer.  He was teaching them that prayer was the lifeline between the Father and the Son.  If Christ needed to pray how much more we need to pray.

2.       Why would Jesus ask the Father to “lead us not into temptation”?  This phrase is deceptive as the Father does not lead us into temptation.  He helps his children avoid temptation.  What it should say is “let us not be led unto temptation.”  We should be asking to be preserved from severe trials.

3.       In this section the Lord teaches us that Heavenly Father will not fail to give us whatever we ask of him.  He is teaching us to ask, seek, and knock.  We should ask in confidence.

4.       What is the connection between the three friends and prayer? Friend 1 goes out at midnight and borrows bread for the midnight guest (friend 2).  He waits outside the door of friend 3 and persists until he is given three loaves of bread.  He returns home to share this with the midnight visitor, with no complaint, protesting, or grumbling.  The Lord will give so much more because of his perfect love and his perfect capacity to provide for the needs of each of us.  Friend 2 was the journeying man.  Friend 1 was like each of us.  We are journeying through mortality and at odd times we seek for bread or subsistence to supply our bodies with nourishment.  We also seek for spiritual bread—that which will give us eternal life.  Friend 2 asks friend 1 for bread even though the hour is late and his request is granted.  The lesson here is that we may approach God with our needs at any time, and he will respond by providing us with temporal and spiritual bread.  Friend 3 can be likened to God who hearkens to us when we go to him repeatedly.  He does not respond as friend 3 did.  He is not bothered by our persistent prayers when we ask in faith with righteous intent.

Luke 11:14-26.  Jesus teaches about casting out devils.

1.        Why does the Savior not grant constant requests for signs?  (verse 16)  Man cannot set the conditions under which he will believe, with specifications and he cannot require perpetual renewal of absolute proof.  This constant provision for validating signs would violate the intrinsic and vital role of faith in this the second estate

2.       Who is Beelzebub mentioned in verse 18?  The Pharisees referred to him as the prince of the devils.  Jesus denied that He cast out devils by this power.

3.       How are devils cast out of individuals who are possessed?  They are cast out by the power of faith and with the authority of the priesthood.  Christ cast out devils and this was evident to the Pharisees and all the people.  He operated in harmony with the Spirit of God and the kingdom of God, which is the true Church among men.

4.       By what power were other people casting out devils? (verse 19)   They were practicing exorcism.

5.       In what ways can evil spirits return? (verse 24)  They return unless the environment in which the sin occurred is abandoned—avoiding the places and conditions, circumstances where the sin occurred—build a new life.

6.       Can more than one spirit possess a body?  (verse 26) We know the spirit of God will not dwell in an unclean tabernacle, but the devil will because he desires to have a body.  So many of these evil spirits can occupy one body.  It will be much more difficult to rid oneself of these multiple evil spirits than it was before to get rid of the devil.

Luke 11:27-28.  The Savior Honors Those Who Hear and Obey God’s Word.

1.        What is the proper respect we should have for Mary, the mother of Jesus?  He turned attention away from adoration of Mary toward that which will save all men.  Yes he adored her and she was blessed among women, but our focus should be upon the gospel.

2.       How important is it to act on the knowledge we possess? (verse 28)  We must act upon that knowledge.  James told us we must be doers of the word and not hearers only.

Luke 11:29-44.  Jesus Speaks of His Divinity and Condemns the Pharisees’ Hypocrisy.

1.       What is the sign of the prophet Jonas?  The phrase “sign of Jonas (Jonah)” was used by Jesus as a typological metaphor for His future crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Jesus answered with this expression when asked by the Pharisees for miraculous proof the He was indeed the Messiah. The Pharisees remained unconvinced of Jesus’ claims about Himself, despite His having just cured a demon-possessed man who was both blind and mute. Shortly after the Pharisees accused Jesus of driving out demons by the power of Satan, they said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here” (Matthew 12:38–41).

To fully appreciate the answer that Jesus gave, we must go to the Old Testament book of Jonah. In its first chapter, we read that God commanded the prophet Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and warn its people that He was going to destroy it for its wickedness. Jonah disobediently ran from the Lord and headed for the city of Tarshish by boat. The Lord then sent a severe storm that caused the crew of the ship to fear for their lives. Jonah was soon thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish where he remained for “three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:15–17). After the three-day period, the Lord caused the great fish to vomit Jonah out onto dry land (Jonah 2:10).

It is this three days that Jesus was referring to when He spoke of the sign of Jonah. Jesus had already been producing miracles that were witnessed by many. Jesus had just performed a great sign in the Pharisees’ presence by healing a deaf man who was possessed of a demon. Rather than believe, they accused Jesus of doing this by the power of Satan. Jesus recognized their hardness of heart and refused to give them further proof of His identity. However, He did say that there would be one further sign forthcoming, His resurrection from the dead. This would be their final opportunity to be convinced.

Jesus’ paralleling of the Pharisees with the people of Nineveh is telling. The people of Nineveh repented of their evil ways (Jonah 3:4–10) after hearing Jonah’s call for repentance, while the Pharisees continued in their unbelief despite being eyewitnesses to the miracles of Jesus. Jesus was telling the Pharisees that they were culpable for their unbelief, given the conversion of the people of Nineveh, sinners who had received far less evidence than the Pharisees themselves had witnessed.

2.       Who was the queen of the south mentioned in verse 31? This is the queen of Sheba—today’s Yemen.

3.       Why does the eye play a key role in the light we possess?  The physical body is a receptacle for light.  Physicists indicate that every physical object can hold light.  Joseph Smith was taught by the Lord that “if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light.”

4.       Why does the Savior have such strong feelings about hypocrites and hypocrisy?  (verse 39)   He wants us to be righteous within our hearts.  Hypocrisy is soul-destroying.  Feigning righteousness when we are not and making a public display of it is not righteousness.

5.       How should our offerings and our love for God be intertwined? (verse 42)  We must avoid apostate fanaticism.  It is a mark of personal and universal apostasy.  We must not center on religious trifles to the exclusion of eternal principles.  We can refrain from tea, coffee and tobacco, but then indulge in lustful acts or forsake our standards of business integrity, etc.

6.       What are Luke’s examples of the sin of hypocrisy?  (verse 44)  1.  Finding fault with others without repenting ourselves; 2.  Seeking the praise of the world rather than seeking the commandments of God; 3.  Twisting the laws of God to find fault with those who are obeying the commandments.

Luke 11:45-54.  Jesus warns of the consequences of rejecting the prophets.

1.        Why do some revere dead prophets without giving heed to the living ones?  (verse 47) They see the dead prophet as a priceless tradition, a spiritual heritage, a beautiful memory.

2.       Which Zacharias is spoken of in the statement in verse 51?  He is the last mentioned martyr in the Hebrew Bible.  Jesus is pointing to the first martyr in scripture—Abel, and the last of the Old Testament—Zacharias.  This is not John the Baptist’s father.

3.       What role did the lawyers have in altering scripture and doctrine?  (Verse 52)  Joseph Smith added five words:  “for ye have taken away the key of knowledge—the fullness of the scriptures.”