THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

46In ancient times it was typically assumed that a calamity would happen only to those whowere extremely sinful:“As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him,‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened sothat the work of God might be displayed in his life” (Jn 9:1-3).Jesus performed more miracles of this kind than of any other. Giving sight to the blindwas predicted as a Messianic activity (Isa 29:18; 35:5; 42:7). Thus these miracles were additionalevidence that Jesus was the Messiah (Jn 20:31).The rabbis had developed the principle that“There is no death without sin, and there is no suffering without iniquity.” 5The Old TestamentSuch questions have baffled people for thousands of years. The Old Testament is replete withexamples of people who struggled with this issue. The psalmist David testified:“I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in itsnative soil . . .” (Ps 37:35).“For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They haveno struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdenscommon to man; they are not plagued by human ills” (Ps 73:4-5).Solomon lamented:“In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: a righteous manperishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man perishing in his wickedness.”(Ecc 7:15)death.The point here is that righteousness is no sure protection against hard times or an earlyThe prophet Habakkuk complained: