Monday (2/3/20)

Similar to last week, we are going to look at people’s sometimes random encounters with Jesus. We will look through the eyes of men this week. It would seem that many of these men had this one face to face encounter with Jesus. Some probably heard His teaching and were perhaps exposed through being a part of the crowd. Let’s start with the stories of two men named Simon.

Read Luke 7:36-50

Imagining yourself in the shoes of the house owner that had invited Jesus to dinner and a man respected in the community.

  • Really, close your eyes after you read and imagine the scene through his eyes.
  • Who is Jesus to him? What is he discovering about Jesus?
  • What could he be discovering about women through this dialogue?
  • What stands out to you today as you are seeking to know Jesus more fully?

Spends some time praying humbly asking the Lord to show you your debt to Him, so that as you interact with others you become less offended by the sinners around you (who are debtors just like you and me).


About Pharisees

The Pharisee (“separatist”) party emerged largely out of the group of scribes and sages. Their name comes from the Hebrew and Aramaic parush or parushi, which means “one who is separated.” From whom did the Pharisees separate? From those, especially priests or clerics, who interpreted the Law differently than they. From the common people of the land. From Gentiles or Jews who embraced the Hellenistic culture. From certain political groups. Actually,  from all these groups of people the Pharisees would have been determined to avoid in their resolution to separate themselves from any type of impurity proscribed by the Levitical law — or, more specifically, their strict interpretation of it.

They believed in a strict interpretation of the Law, a twofold Law- consisting or both the written scriptures and the oral law (teachings of the Prophets and the oral tradition of the Jewish people). They were not a political party, but a society of scholars and rule followers.