@daveburb And thinking on timescales a bit further, I think that's one reason why there are so many parables about a master who leaves and then returns unexpectedly -- because if we can't comprehend God's timescale, then what feels to us like "it's been so long, maybe it's going to be *never*", may feel like, to God, merely the blink of an eye.
"All times are 'soon' to Aslan."

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Luke 21

One thing I've heard said about prophecy, is that it is like describing a mountain-range; that the things said are all in the future, but they aren't necessarily all the same distance away, just like mountains, one behind the other, are not all the same distance away.
That, at least, is how I make sense of the "this generation will not pass away before this happens" as being referring to the Siege of Jerusalem, while other things spoken of, have not happened yet.

"Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled"... well, many of the folks at Wycliffe Bible Translators believe that it won't happen until the bible has been translated into every language, thus giving every human on earth the opportunity to hear the Gospel in their own tongue (that it not be misunderstood) and to say "yes" or "no" to it. Thus, the corrollary to that is that their mission is to hasten the Second Coming. I find that an interesting piece of speculation.

Thing is, God tends to have a different timescale than we do: "a day as is a thousand years, and a thousand years is as a day". If God says that something is "soon", that could be tomorrow, or it could be a hundred years, or more. (How long were the Israelites in Egypt?)

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Luke 20

It's interesting that in this version of the "By what authority do you teach?" questioning, the Chief Priests were said to be afraid "that the people would stone them" - which is a rather more dire situation than just "being afraid of the people" -- which I had taken to be mere pride, a fear of being unpopular. Really was everyone so violent then? That's hard to take in.

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Luke 19

I wonder how many riches Zacchaeus had left after he'd done all his giving, what with "repaying fourfold" everyone he had cheated. I guess that depends on how often he'd cheated people. I gather it was pretty standard practice for tax collectors to collect more than what was owed, and pocket the difference - and the Roman government evidently didn't have any anti-corruption laws in place at all; they only cared about getting their taxes, not the means by which they were collected.
Again we have "he was a sinner" -- were all tax collectors automatically sinners, then?

The parable of the servants... yes, it was a bit confusing about the other seven servants, but your interpretation makes sense, that these were the ones who had spoken against their ruler.
At least, here, the phrase "to those who have much, much will be given, and those who have little, even that will be taken away" makes sense in this context of being faithful servants who are diligent with what they have been given. The third servant... was *afraid* of his master, afraid of making a mistake and therefore he made nothing. But it is interesting that there were no examples of a servant who tried to make money and lost it instead. I suppose he would be equally chastized for not putting it in the bank, so there was no point? Mind you... it is odd, now that I think about it, that a bank is mentioned, and interest (the King James has "usery") because that was a practice that was frowned on by the Jews, so why would it have been a "good" thing to do?

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@daveburb (yes I am very behind)
Luke 18

I actually prefer the interpretation that a "camel" is a kind of rope - because it is closer to the kind of thing which one might actually want to put through the eye of a needle, it being a textile.

But on the other hand, it really does not matter whether one takes it at face value or if one re-interprets what the "camel" or the "needle" are -- the point is, that the metaphor is about something which is impossible to do.

One thing which struck me here is that Jesus told them that he was going to be put to death, and "it was hidden from them". Presumably they understood it later, after the fact, or it would never have made it into this gospel. But it makes me wonder... why? Why was it hidden from them? Would they have tried to stop him? I think they might have.

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Luke 17

It's somewhat confusing, at the start of the chapter, that Jesus refers to "these little ones" -- but there doesn't seem to be context which shows to whom he is referring. Children? Or... who?

We have two contrasting examples about "giving thanks". On the one hand, we have, immediately after the talk of "faith as a mustard seed" (yes, the mustard seed again), the parable that a servant should not expect thanks for merely doing their duty. (Is this supposed to be connected to the faith-as-a-mustard-seed example or not?) Then we have the lepers, only one of whom returned to give thanks.
And, yes, I think all ten of the lepers had faith, because (a) they called out to be healed, with expectation that he could do it, and (b) they obeyed him ("go to the priest").

So... the question I'm wondering... was Jesus miffed that the other nine did not give him thanks, or was he thinking "ah, I was just doing my duty to God, I should not be expecting thanks." I don't know.

Then Jesus is being asked about the coming of the kingdom, and again, it is "don't be decieved, it will be bloody obvious when it has happened - and there will be no warning."

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Luke 16

I still find the first parable hard to understand... unless the master was praising the steward for being cunning? Still doesn't make much sense to me.

But, yes, the theme here is "you got your reward on earth with earthly things, don't expect a reward in heaven - you already got your reward". Rewarded with what you value most: earthly things, or heavenly things.

Parable of the rich man and Lazarus - "surely they will listen, if someone rises from the dead?"
"If they did not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not listen even if someone rises from the dead." (foreshadowing, yes)

When the Pharisees demanded of Jesus a sign, he said "no sign shall be given but the sign of the prophet Jonah" -- whereas when the disciples of John the Baptist came to him, he said "the lame walk, the blind see, the sick are healed" -- in other words, he pointed out the signs which had already been given, because *they* were willing to listen, while the Pharisees were not.

Those who are determined not to believe, will not believe even if they witness things with their own eyes - they would rather declare themselves to be hallucinating, than to believe.

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Luke 15

The first thing that struck me here is that the Pharisees seem rather obsessed with shunning sinners. I mean, we knew that already, but WHY? Are they afraid that the sin will rub off, somehow? Is there an Old Testament law that I missed reading about: "thou shalt not associate with sinners"? Or is it simply (and most likely) that they are, again, more interested in "what people will say" than in doing good?

Yes, it is wise to resist temptation, and it is easier to resist temptation if one stays far away from those who would be inclined to tempt one into sin, but that's a personal choice, usually depending on the sin; some sins are much more tempting than others. (For example, I've never ever had any desire whatsoever to get drunk; that's not a temptation for me at all.)

The parable of the Prodigal Son is worth revisiting. Superficially, it is, like the previous parables, about finding what was lost and rejoicing over it. But the addition of the elder son adds another dimension to it. We're supposed to disapprove of the eldest son for being angry. (The elder son, of course, being the Jews, Pharisees, and/or those who were brought up Christian.) But I can sympathise with him; he's been dutiful, without reward. But what he doesn't understand is that *he has been safe*, he has been *home*, he has had the company of his father; he doesn't know what his younger brother has suffered, *he doesn't know how lucky he is*.

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