Introduction
Luke 18:18–43: We return to Luke’s Gospel as Jesus is journeying toward Jerusalem and the cross. In today’s reading, Jesus speaks with a wealthy man, a leader, who asks him what he must do to receive eternal life. The reading concludes with Jesus speaking for a third time (in Luke’s account) about his impending death. As he continues to Jerusalem with his disciples, he heals a blind beggar.
Today’s Key Verse: Luke 18:31b
[Jesus said to his disciples:] “Listen! We are going to Jerusalem where everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true.”
Reading
18 A Jewish leader asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery; do not commit murder; do not steal; do not accuse anyone falsely; respect your father and your mother.’”
21 The man replied, “Ever since I was young, I have obeyed all these commandments.”
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one more thing you need to do. Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.” 23 But when the man heard this, he became very sad, because he was very rich.
24 Jesus saw that he was sad and said, “How hard it is for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 It is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”
26 The people who heard him asked, “Who, then, can be saved?”
27 Jesus answered, “What is humanly impossible is possible for God.”
28 Then Peter said, “Look! We have left our homes to follow you.”
29 “Yes,” Jesus said to them, “and I assure you that anyone who leaves home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God 30 will receive much more in this present age and eternal life in the age to come.”
31 Jesus took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, “Listen! We are going to Jerusalem where everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles, who will make fun of him, insult him, and spit on him. 33 They will whip him and kill him, but three days later he will rise to life.”
34 But the disciples did not understand any of these things; the meaning of the words was hidden from them, and they did not know what Jesus was talking about.
35 As Jesus was coming near Jericho, there was a blind man sitting by the road, begging. 36 When he heard the crowd passing by, he asked, “What is this?”
37 “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him.
38 He cried out, “Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!”
39 The people in front scolded him and told him to be quiet. But he shouted even more loudly, “Son of David! Have mercy on me!”
40 So Jesus stopped and ordered the blind man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Sir,” he answered, “I want to see again.”
42 Jesus said to him, “Then see! Your faith has made you well.”
43 At once he was able to see, and he followed Jesus, giving thanks to God. When the crowd saw it, they all praised God.
Reflect
How does Jesus respond to the rich man who asks what he must do to receive eternal life? What is the man’s reaction? What are your thoughts about what Jesus said? Why do the people tell the blind man to be quiet (verse 39)? What does the blind man ask of Jesus? What is the role of faith in these stories?
Pray
Lord God, whenever I feel as if I don’t have as much as I need or as much as I want, remind me of the ways you have blessed me, and help me share those blessings lovingly as an expression of my trust and faith in you. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Luke 19:1–10: A tax collector wants to see Jesus.
