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Bible Study for October 12, 2025
Opening Prayer:
Creator of all, we thank you for the opportunity to gather in study. Open our minds and hearts. By the power of the Holy Spirit, unite us in faith, hope, and love. Help us to be faithful to the gospel and to walk humbly with you. Grant us your peace as we grow in wisdom and understanding. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Luke 17:11-19 When have you not said thank you to Jesus?
Three gospels in the New Testament offer similar portraits of the life of Jesus; Luke is the third of them. Its author, traditionally Luke the physician who accompanied Paul on some of his missionary journeys, emphasizes God's love for the poor, the disadvantaged, minorities, outcasts, sinners and lepers. Women play a more prominent part than in the other gospels. Luke never uses Semitic words; this is one argument for thinking that he wrote primarily for Gentiles.
Jesus is on the final leg of his journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. He told his disciples how important genuine faith is. Lepers were outcasts from society; people considered them ritually unclean, believed the disease to be infectious by touch, and thought they were possessed by evil spirits. All ten acknowledge Jesus as who he is, “Master” (v. 13): they have faith. To be restored to society, a leper needed certification from “the priests” (v. 14) that he was free of the disease. While all ten acknowledge Jesus as God, only one, a “Samaritan” (v. 16), a “foreigner” (v. 18), gives thanks to him (v. 16). All ten are healed of leprosy but only one is wholly “made ... well” (v. 19) – for the Greek word bears with it the idea of rescue from impending destruction or from superior powers. One whom Jews despised has been saved and is grateful. (See 7:27 for cleansing of lepers being a sign of the coming of the Kingdom.)
2 Timothy 2:8-15 Have you ever been “ashamed” – or embarrassed, or hesitant – to testify to your faith in Jesus Christ?
From the Book of Acts, we know that Timothy was from Lystra in Asia Minor, and was the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother who had become a Christian. He accompanied Paul on his travels. Timothy, we read last week, lacks the courage to hand on the good news, perhaps because he leads a Christian community subject to ostracism or persecution. Using three illustrations (“soldier”, v. 3; “athlete”, v. 5; “farmer”, v. 6), the writer of this letter, using Paul’s name, has told Timothy that being a Christian requires single-mindedness, self-denial and intense effort. Now he is advised to recall what Paul taught: Christ, restored to God, is the kingly Messiah (“descendant of David”, v. 8) long expected. Paul continues to preach this despite “hardship” (v. 9) and imprisonment. Even so, the good news is available to all and continues to spread (“not chained”).
Paul is the great example of enduring for those who are already Christian and for those who will come to faith (“the elect”, v. 10), enabling them to enjoy Christ’s promise of eternal life. Vv. 11-13 are rhythmical, so scholars believe they are from an early Christian hymn. If we share in Christ, in his death for sin in the world, we too will have eternal life (v. 11). If we do not give up, we will share in the Kingdom with him (v. 12a), but if we “deny him” (perhaps in times of trial or suffering) he will refuse to recognize us when he judges people – when he comes again (“he will also deny us”). In spite of our desertion, his promise is always there, for he is unchangeable (“cannot deny himself”, v. 13). V. 14 begins a section on how Timothy should minister in the presence of false teachers – who change or augment the body of faith handed down. These people wrangle over words, causing some to leave the community. Present yourself, Timothy, as a true and honorable teacher forging ahead in telling the faith as it is! (v. 15).
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