072:  Pharisees Attribute Jesus' Power to Beelzebub

074:  Scribes and Pharisees Seek a Sign

See also Event 076:  Jesus' Mother and His Relatives Attempt to Meet With Him
 

Outline

• The greatest blessings come from following God's word.
• Mary is blessed.
• Hearers of the word are blessed.
• Keepers of the word are blessed.
• We are invited to receive the blessings God offers.

Quotes

• Jesus admits that she was happy -- it was an honour to be his mother, but he say that the chief  happiness, the highest honour, was to obey the word of God.  Compared with this, all earthly distinctions and honours are as nothing. Man's greatest dignity is in keeping the holy commandments of God, and in being prepared for heaven.

- Albert Barnes, New Testament Commentary
• This was well said, as it expressed her high esteem of Christ, and that for the sake of his doctrine; and it was not amiss that it reflected honour upon the virgin Mary his mother, for it agreed with what she herself had said (Lu 1:48), All generations shall call me blessed; some even of this generation, bad as it was.

- Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible
• He does not deny what this woman said, nor refuse her respect to him and his mother; but leads her from this to that which was of higher consideration, and which more concerned her:
• - Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible
• Though it is a great privilege to hear the word of God, yet those only are truly blessed, that is, blessed of the Lord, that hear it and keep it, that keep it in memory, and keep to it as their way and rule.
• - Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible
• While the scribes and Pharisees despised and blasphemed the discourses of our Lord Jesus, this good woman admired them, and the wisdom and power with which he spake. Christ led the woman to a higher consideration. Though it is a great privilege to hear the word of God, yet those only are truly blessed, that is, blessed of the Lord, that hear it, keep it in memory, and keep to it as their way and rule.

- Matthew Henry, Concise Commentary
• As he said these things (en tôi legein auton). Luke's common idiom, en with articular infinitive. Verses Lu 11:27,28 are peculiar to Luke. His Gospel in a special sense is the Gospel of Woman. This woman "speaks well, but womanly" (Bengel). Her beatitude (makaria) reminds us of Elisabeth's words (Lu 1:42, eulogêmenê). She is fulfilling Mary's own prophecy in Lu 1:48 (makariousin me, shall call me happy).

- Robertson's New Testament Word Pictures
• Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee:  blessed art thou among women.

- The angel Gabriel, Luke 1:28
• Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

- Elisabeth, Mother of John the Baptist, Luke 1:42
• From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

- Mary, Mother of Jesus, Luke 1:48
• Observe, 2. That Christ makes another judgment of persons, and pronounces them more blessed that bear him in their hearts by faith, than his own mother, who bare him in her womb by sense.  The blessedness of being an obedient believer, is far greater than that of being the mother of our blessed Saviour.

- William Burkitt, Notes on the New Testament
• Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

- Jesus, Matthew 7:21
• But he said to them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

- Jesus, Luke 8:21
• But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing.

- James 1:25
• Blessed as was the Virgin Mary on account of her being the mother of Jesus, more blessed, according to his decision, are all who believe on and obey him. Even Mary herself was more blessed as his believing and obedient disciple, than as his mother according to the flesh.

- Family Bible Notes
• V. 28.  Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it-For if even she that bare him had not done this, she would have forfeited all her blessedness.

- John Wesley, Notes on the New Testament
• Mary's blessing as a disciple was greater than her blessing as a mother; her moral and spiritual relation to Jesus was more precious than her maternal. Mary's blessings came through believing God's word (Lu 1:45). To know Christ after the Spirit is more blessed than to know him after the flesh (2Co 5:15,16; Joh 16:7).

- The Fourfold Gospel
• Jesus' response indicates that in the struggle against evil the important thing is not to give lip service to himself or his mother but to hear the word of God and keep it.

- William Baird, Interpreter's One-Volume Commentary, p. 690
• Jesus accepts the mother's blessing upon his mother.  His mother is blessed in being his mother, as she herself had predicted.  Yea, she was blessed with the maternity of the Messiah because she heard the word of God and kept it.

- D.D. Whedon, Commentary on Luke-John,  p. 120
• Jesus' reply is that something else matters far more -- namely, to hear the message He proclaimed and to obey it.  The Pharisees should have perceived that He was speaking God's word without wonderful signs to confirm it, and acceptance of it would prevent the kind of relapse described in v. 26.

- I.H. Marshall, New Bible Commentary Revised 1970
• At this point an incident occurred which illustrates the deep impression the Lord's words were making upon the people.

- J. McNicol, New Bible Commentary 1954

 

 

 

Status of Gospel Harmony Project Preparing study notes on a weekly basis for the current 6 pm Sunday Eve. Bible Study at Mt. Carmel UMC Section groupings are complete until linking to individual event pages is finished Setting up event pages and linking the section groupings to them Several sections of events have pages with notes from previous preaching occasions

 

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