Luke chapter 9

vs 41

Fairly strong thing to say! I mean, did he say that to every person who asked for healing? No, it was because the disciples couldn't get it to go. Is he suggesting the problem might be partially on the father's behalf for lack of faith? Or on the disciples' side for not doing it right (or lack of faith).

vs 42

So the demon showed itself, but Jesus sent it packing. No more difficult than any other.

vs 43

Of course, it doesn't get old, seeing someone do miracles. They are always exciting. But even while everyone's going "Ooooh, Arrr" Jesus is already filling in his disciples on the problem.

vs 44

This seems to come a bit out of left field. Especially for the inner circle, who just say Jesus glorified and heard God's voice about him.

vs 45

Little wonder. I mean, what a time to talk about his betrayal. Again, we see a hiding of this idea from the disciples, a specific attempt to do something they would not understand at the time. However, it is reavealed to them later, so I don't think this is a good foundation for the idea that prophecies in Revelation weren't meant to be understood by the people who read them, they were meant to be for the last generation aka alway us.

vs 46

What a thing to argue about, especially when your master has said he's going to be betrayed. That would be what I wanted to talk about. But they were afraid. So instead they want to measure each other.

vs 47

Because, of course, children are always available for illustrative purposes.

vs 48

Please note the use of the child for this illustration. It is not as an innocent. Or as simple. The reason he uses a child is because it is the least important person he could find on hand for his illustration. That's because children, like women in those days, were not highly valued. Once they become productive, they are more valuable.

So Jesus says those who accept the least important, they also accept the greatest (Jesus). So if you are the least, then you will also be the greatest.

This makes me rethink the other gospels, which talk about accepting the kingdom like a little child - does it mean accepting the kingdom like you would accept a little child, rather than accepting it as if you were a little child?

vs 49

And this, coming just after they couldn't drive out a demon in Jesus' name? Why would they try them to stop this guy! This story is so weird that it boggles my mind. I mean, why would you want to have a monopoly on helping people? And yet the disciples seemed to want just that.

But perhaps I'm being too harsh. Perhaps they thought they were protecting Jesus' name if they stopped unknown people from using it.

vs 50

This is not a salvation conversation. Jesus isn't saying that if you don't hate Jesus, you must therefore love him and you'll go to heaven or anything like that. No, he's saying that people who aren't actively working against you are indeed working for you, even by doing nothing. Doing nothing is permissive action - you are allowing something to happen. This guy was actively on the same side - bowing to Jesus' authority and using it to drive out demons!