“Luke 12–17; John 11,” Scripture Helps: New Testament (2024)
Scripture Helps
Luke 12–17; John 11
Jesus traveled from Galilee toward Jerusalem near the end of His mortal ministry. He taught many parables, including the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. He warned against hypocrisy and covetousness, and He emphasized the need to be watchful and ready for His Second Coming. He taught that all must repent or perish. He healed on the Sabbath and discussed who will be saved. He prophesied of His death and Resurrection and lamented over Jerusalem. He taught the requirements for discipleship. Jesus healed ten lepers and manifested His power over death by raising Lazarus from the dead.
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Background and Context
What does it mean to have “your loins be girded” in preparation for the Second Coming?
In biblical times, men wore long robes. When doing work, a man would tuck the tail of his tunic (robe) inside his girdle (belt) so his legs could move freely. This is what is meant by the phrase “let your loins be girded.” It is a symbol “denoting readiness for action.” In this parable, girding your loins and letting your lights burn mean watching and being ready for the Lord’s return.
What is the meaning of the parable of the fig tree?
After teaching that all people must repent or perish, the Savior shared a parable about a barren fig tree. For the Jews, a fig tree was a common symbol for Israel, God’s covenant people.
In this parable, the “certain man” represents God. The vineyard represents the world, and the “dresser of his vineyard” represents the Savior. After giving this parable, the Savior continued to emphasize that Israel was failing to produce righteousness within its season of opportunity.
What is the meaning of the parable of the mustard seed?
What is the meaning of the parable of the leaven?
See “Matthew 13:3–9, 18–33, 43–50. What can we learn from the parables of gathering?”
What is a “strait gate”?
The Greek words translated as “strait gate” in the King James Version of the Bible can also be translated as “narrow door.” This “strait gate” symbolizes the strict requirements of discipleship. Other scriptures use the image of a strait gate or narrow way to teach us that we must receive essential ordinances and honor covenants to enter the kingdom of heaven. Elder D. Todd Christofferson said: “Figuratively speaking, this gate is so narrow that it allows only one to enter at a time. Each one makes an individual commitment to God and in return receives from Him a personal covenant, by name, that he or she can rely on implicitly in time and eternity.”
What were the customs of honoring guests during a feast?
“On the way to Jerusalem, the Savior accepted an invitation to dine on the Sabbath at ‘the house of one of the chief Pharisees’ (Luke 14:1). While there, he noticed that the other guests ‘chose out the chief rooms’ (Luke 14:7), or places of honor. According to custom, the most honored guests were seated closest to the head of the table. The Savior utilized this setting to teach ‘a parable’ (Luke 14:7) that conveyed an eternal principle about the relationship between humility and exaltation.”
What is meant by the word “hate”?
In the context of Luke 14:26, the Greek word translated as “hate” can convey giving less regard to one thing than to another. The Savior was not revoking the commandment to “honour thy father and thy mother.” Rather, He was teaching about priorities. For a disciple, devotion to Jesus Christ must come before devotion to family.
What is the meaning of “if the salt has lost his savour”?
See “Matthew 5:13. What does it mean to be the ‘salt of the earth’?”
How did shepherds care for their sheep in biblical times?
In biblical times, shepherding was a common livelihood. Shepherds led their sheep to food and water, kept their flocks from straying, and protected them from danger. In this culture, shepherds were “dedicated, hardworking, compassionate leaders who provided for and protected and guided their flocks. Keeping a flock together was essential to accomplishing this mission.”
Since shepherding was so common in biblical times, it became an apt and easily understood metaphor to teach spiritual truths. Shepherds were compared to leaders and even to God, who watched over His sheep—His covenant people.
See “John 10:1–18. What were shepherds like in Jesus Christ’s time?”
What was the value of a piece of silver?
“The piece of silver in this parable is a Greek coin called a drachma. [It] was worth relatively little, but a poor person could have used it to pay for two days’ worth of food. A day laborer’s daily wages would have been about one drachma, but a woman likely would have earned less than half that amount for a day’s work.”
What does the word prodigal mean?
Though the text of Luke does not give the parable a name, it has become known as the parable of the prodigal son. The word prodigal means wasteful and recklessly extravagant.
What was the Jewish law regarding inheritances?
According to the customs of the Savior’s time, a son received his inheritance only after his father died. It would have been “highly unusual” for a son to demand his inheritance before his father’s death.
What does it mean that the son “came to himself”?
Elder Robert D. Hales taught, “In the Savior’s words, ‘he came to himself’ [Luke 15:17]. He remembered who he was, realized what he had been missing, and began to desire the blessings freely available in his father’s house.” The prodigal son had awoken to a recognition of the awful situation he had fallen into because of his transgression.
What can we learn about the spirit world from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus?
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus refers to two different conditions in the postmortal spirit world: “Abraham’s bosom” and “hell.” These conditions are also called “paradise” and “prison.” The gulf between Abraham’s bosom and hell in this parable represents the separation that existed between those in spirit paradise and spirit prison.
Through a revelation given to President Joseph F. Smith, we learn that the Savior ministered in the spirit world during the time between His Crucifixion and Resurrection. He organized messengers from spirit paradise and empowered them to preach the gospel to those in spirit prison. The work of preaching the gospel to the spirits in prison continues today.
“If [those in spirit prison] accept the gospel and the ordinances performed for them in the temple, they may leave the spirit prison and dwell in paradise.”
Why are we “unprofitable servants”?
“To better understand the concept of unprofitable servants, we must focus on the word profit. Profit means an increase in personal assets, status, or benefits. That is the crux of the concept of our being unprofitable servants.” In this parable, no matter how well the servant performs his duties, he still is in his master’s debt. Similarly, when we do our duty before God, He blesses us, and we are still indebted to Him. “God is perfect in his knowledge, power, influence, and attributes. He is the Creator of all things! What could any of us—or all of us collectively—do that would bring profit (that is, an increase in assets, status, or benefits) to God?”
What does it mean that “the kingdom of God is within you”?
Many translations of the New Testament render the phrase “the kingdom of God is within you” as “the kingdom of God is among you.” The Joseph Smith Translation changes this phrase to read, “The kingdom of God has already come unto you.” Both renderings of the phrase point to the truth that Jesus Christ had established the kingdom of God, or the Church, at that time. That same kingdom has again been established in our day.
What was the significance of Jesus waiting until the fourth day to raise Lazarus from the dead?
There were instances of prophets of God raising individuals from the dead before the Savior’s lifetime. But the dead in those instances were raised shortly after they had died. A common belief among the Jews was that the spirit of a deceased person stayed near the body for three days and that death would be final on the fourth day. The Savior’s healing of Lazarus on the fourth day demonstrated His absolute power over death.
Learn More
Lessons from the Parables of Jesus
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Melvin F. Hammond, “Parables of Jesus: The Great Supper,” Ensign, Apr. 2003, 51–53
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Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “He Will Place You on His Shoulders and Carry You Home,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 101–4
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Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Prodigal and the Road That Leads Home,” Liahona, Nov. 2023, 86–89
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Tsung-Ting Yang, “Parables of Jesus: The Unjust Steward,” Ensign, July 2003, 28–31
Media
Videos
“Lazarus Is Raised from the Dead” (7:53)
“Jesus Declares the Parable of the Lost Sheep” (2:20)
“The Prodigal Son” (5:36)
“Gird Up Your Loins” (0:47)
Images
The Lost Drachma, by James Tissot
The Poor Lazarus at the Rich Man’s Door, by James Tissot