The Life of the Christ - ForMinistry

Luke 9
in the crowd shouted, “Teacher, please do something for my son!
He is my only child! 39 A demon often attacks him and makes him
scream. It shakes him until he foams at the mouth, and it won’t
leave him until it has completely worn the boy out. 40 I begged
your disciples to force out the demon, but they couldn’t do it.”
41 Jesus said to them, “You people are stubborn and don’t
have any faith! How much longer must I be with you? Why do I
have to put up with you?”
Then Jesus said to the man, “Bring your son to me.”
42 While the boy was being brought, the demon attacked him and
made him shake all over. Jesus ordered the demon to stop. Then he
SON OF MAN
In the Jewish Scriptures (Old Testament), the expression “son of
man” often refers simply to a human being. This is clear from
Ezekiel, where the Lord’s prophet is called “son of man” nearly one
hundred times. In this way, the Lord reminded Ezekiel that he was
a mere human being, and that he must accept God’s power and
purpose in the world.
The prophet Daniel also uses the expression, but with a
slightly different meaning. He says he saw what “looked like a son
of man coming with the clouds of heaven” (Dan 7.13). Here “son of
man” refers to a savior—the person God will choose to rule over all
the world and its people. Like this son of man, Jesus comes as
God’s chosen one (Messiah).
In the Gospels, Jesus speaks of himself as the Son of Man.
Sometimes he uses the term to express his humanity (Luke 9.58) or
to emphasize his role as the one who will suffer and die to forgive
sins (Mark 10.45; Luke 9.22,43). But this expression is used as
well when referring to Jesus’ future glory, when God’s people are
gathered together and God’s kingdom (rule) will be set up (Mark
8.38—9.1). People will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side
of God All-Powerful (Mark 14.62). Also, he will be seen returning to
earth with great power and authority (Matt 24.30). Because of
these last passages from the Gospels, some scholars think Jesus
was using the expression in the same way Daniel was.
People are called to decide and publicly acknowledge who
the Son of Man is (Mark 8.27; Matt 16.13). Those who believe that
he was sent by God to renew God’s people and to bring all
creation under God’s control will be part of God’s family. They will
also be rewarded for what they have done (Matt 16.27-28).
46
healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 Everyone was
amazed at God’s great power.
Jesus Again Speaks about His Death
While everyone was still amazed at what Jesus was doing, he
said to his disciples, 44 “Pay close attention to what I am telling you!
The Son of Man will be handed over to his enemies.” 45 But the
disciples did not know what he meant. The meaning was hidden
from them. They could not understand it, and they were afraid
to ask.
Who Is the Greatest?
46 Jesus’ disciples were arguing about which one of them
was the greatest. 47 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he had
a child stand there beside him. 48 Then he said to his disciples,
“When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome
me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent
me. Whichever one of you is the most humble is the greatest.”
For or against Jesus
49 John said, “Master, we saw a man using your name to
force demons out of people. But we told him to stop, because he
isn’t one of us.”
50 “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “Anyone who isn’t against
you is for you.”
Jesus Preaches and Heals in Galilee
47