The Gospel According To LukeSýnishorn

On the Way to Jerusalem: The Cost of Discipleship: Luke 16:1-19:27

Jesus wanted his followers to understand that their own lives in his kingdom would be patterned after his own. They would be persecuted by worldly leaders, and would struggle to remain faithful to God. From 16:1–17:10, Jesus taught that discipleship involves viewing everything we own as God’s possession, which he has entrusted to us as his stewards, to be used entirely for his purposes. He also warned that earthly blessings can be a stumbling block, even preventing the rich from recognizing and receiving the true gospel. Lastly, he encouraged faith and repentance, assuring us that no matter how much good we do, our very best is still no more than God requires. 

In 17:11–18:8, Jesus focused on the eventual judgment on this world. The good things we receive in this life; including, health, possessions, and justice should cause us to see God’s goodness, and we should pray that he will bless us with them in this life. But they’re still destined to perish at the final judgment. True wealth, health and justice come only as rewards in God’s everlasting kingdom, so that’s where our hope should be. 

In line with these ideas, Jesus ended this section in Luke 18:9-30 by emphasizing the need for humility, because only the humble will receive God’s forgiveness and blessing, and inherit eternal life.

Luke concluded his record of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem by emphasizing his commitment to God’s plan to save his people in Luke 18:31–19:27.

The first way Jesus showed his commitment to God’s plan was by predicting his own death in Luke 18:31-34. Jesus knew he needed to die to save his people, and he was determined to follow through with his Father’s plan.

Following this, Jesus demonstrated his commitment to God’s plan of salvation by blessing the people he came to save, such as the blind man he healed in Luke 18:35-43, and the tax collector Zacchaeus that he called in Luke 19:1-10. These people were typically rejected by society. But in line with the promises of Isaiah 61:1-2, they were going to receive a great inheritance in God’s kingdom. As Jesus said of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:9-10,

Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

Lastly, in Luke 19:11-27, Jesus told the parable of servants of the king that were entrusted with his money while he was away. This parable demonstrated that if we want an inheritance in God’s kingdom, we have to be committed to God’s plan just like Jesus is.