The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (96 page)

16:19 There was a . . . man:
The same opening line is used in the two preceding parables (15:11; 16:1) and may suggest this story is also a parable. On the other hand, the poor man is personally identified in 16:20 ("Lazarus"), a feature that is uncharacteristic of parables.
purple and fine linen:
Expensive apparel often associated with royalty (Judg 8:26; Esther 8:15). 
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16:22 Abraham's bosom:
i.e., in the lap or presence of Abraham, the forefather of Israel (3:8; Is 51:2). It refers to a temporary realm within Hades where the righteous souls of the Old Covenant era waited patiently for Christ to open the gates of heaven (Eph 4:8-10). 
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16:23 Hades:
The netherworld or realm of the dead. It refers to a waiting place where the deceased souls of the wicked are detained until the Last Judgment (Rev 20:13). Here it stands opposite Abraham's presence and is a place where sinners languish in the grip of torment (Lk 16:24; Mt 11:23). It is separated from the abode of the righteous by a permanent, unbridgeable gulf that permits no traffic to pass between them (Lk 16:26) (CCC 633, 1021).
See note on Mt 16:18
. 
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16:28 he may warn them:
The first and only hint of the rich man's concern for others. His request for the resurrection of Lazarus is nevertheless denied, since the Scriptures already give sufficient warnings to prevent his
brothers
from neglecting the poor (Lev 23:22; Deut 15:9; Is 10:1-2; Amos 2:6-7). Others suggest the rich man is still being selfish, for he realizes that the damnation of his entire family would only increase his misery. 
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16:31 Moses and the prophets:
The entire OT (24:27).
rise from the dead:
Not even miracles will benefit those indifferent to the Scriptures. 
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17:2 a millstone:
A large stone used in a grinding mill (Rev 18:21). The severity of such a punishment corresponds to the severity of Christian scandal and indicates that God's curse will fall on anyone who sets a stumbling block before the faith of his
little ones,
i.e., disciples (10:21; 12:32) (CCC 228487). 
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17:4 seven times:
A call for limitless mercy (Jas 2:13; CCC 2227).
See note on Mt 18:22
. 
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17:10 unworthy servants:
Disciples should not expect congratulations for their service. Their work is important but not beyond the call of Christian
duty,
and no one can fully repay God for his gifts. 
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17:12 stood at a distance:
Because lepers were unclean, they were excluded from the Temple and ostracized from Israelite society (Lev 13:45-46; Num 5:2-3). Only when they recovered, and passed Levitical inspection, could they be reinstated into Israel's covenant life.
See note on Lk 5:12
. 
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17:18 this foreigner:
Of the ten who were cleansed, only the Samaritan expressed gratitude (17:16) and faith (17:19).
See note on Lk 9:52
. • Jesus' actions recall how Elisha cleansed a foreign leper while living in Samaria (2 Kings 5:114). At another level, he initiates the adoption of foreigners into God's covenant family as prophesied in Is 56:3-8. 
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17:21 in your midst:
The expression probably means "among you" or "within your reach" and is used to stress the nearness of the
kingdom
(10:9; 21:31). 
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17:22-37
Jesus announces the coming of the kingdom of God in the days of the Son of man. Two considerations suggest he is forewarning the disciples of the downfall of Jerusalem.
(1
) Many of the sayings collected here appear in the Olivet Discourse, where they more explicitly refer to the doom that awaits the city and the Temple (Mt 24-25; Mk 13).
(2)
Mention of the
days
of the Son of man (17:22) is echoed later in Luke when reference is made to the "days" when foreign armies will besiege the city (19:43) and the "days" when the Temple will be devastated (21:6). 
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17:22 you will desire to see:
The disciples will long to see the vindication of Jesus as he avenges the city that condemned him to a violent death. They will not see it firsthand, however, because Jesus will order them to evacuate Jerusalem and flee from Judea before the onset of judgment (21:20-21; Mk 13:14-16). To stress the importance of fleeing without hesitation, Jesus reminds them of how Lot escaped from Sodom before its demise and yet his own wife perished for turning back (17:28-32; Gen 19:24-26). 
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17:34 taken . . . left:
Depicts the fate of the wicked, who will be swept away, and the righteous, who will be mercifully spared.
See note on Mt 24:40
. 
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17:37 Where the body is:
An image of Jerusalem surrounded and besieged (19:43; 21:10).
See note on Mt 24:28
. 
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18:1-14
Two parables on Christian prayer. The first teaches that we should pray continually (18:2-8), the second that we should pray humbly, asking God for mercy (18:9-14) (CCC 2098, 2613). 
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18:3 a widow:
Widows were often powerless and vulnerable in ancient society, and many were supported by fellow Israelites (Deut 26:12). Both Jesus and Luke take a compassionate interest in their plight (2:37; 4:25-26; 7:12; 20:47; 21:3). 
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18:5 her continual coming:
The parable encourages persistent prayer (18:1). As the widow pleaded for justice, so we should persevere in faith and tirelessly petition God for our needs (Rom 12:12; 1 Thess 5:17). 
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18:6 the unrighteous judge:
His indifference to the widow's distress was a violation of justice (Deut 27:19). The parable's outcome is thus a mere shadow of God's concern for us. If an unjust and callous judge will vindicate a persevering widow, the Father will much more come to the aid of his prayerful children (Sir 35:12-17). 
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18:11 The Pharisee stood:
A common prayer posture (Mt 6:5; Mk 11:25).
God, I thank you:
Because the Pharisee is prideful, he will be "humbled" (18:14) for presuming that his adherence to traditional forms of piety is an automatic guarantee of divine blessing (18:12). He sadly overlooked his need for God's mercy (CCC 588). See topical essay:
Who Are the Pharisees?
at Mk 2. 
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Jesus, the Son of Man

O
F THE
titles applied to Jesus in the Gospels, none appears more frequently than "Son of man". Nearly everywhere Jesus drops this mysterious name into his conversations and teaching, often attaching to it some of the most spectacular claims voiced in the Scriptures. Yet for all its familiarity to readers of the Bible, it is comparatively difficult to understand. This is hardly surprising, since even Jesus' contemporaries were puzzled by his use of it and at one point were driven to ask: "Who is this Son of man?" (Jn 12:34). The question has not lost its poignancy over the centuries but continues to ring out even today.

As we search for an answer, it is important to realize that Jesus was not the first to use the expression. In fact, it appears over 100 times in the Old Testament! In many contexts it functions as an idiom, meaning something like "human being" or "mere mortal" (Num 23:19; Job 25:6; Ps 8:4; Sir 17:30), and can be applied to individual men like the prophets Ezekiel (Ezek 2:1, 3) and Daniel (Dan 8:17). There are times in the Gospels when Jesus seems to speak of himself in this way, presumably to emphasize his full solidarity with humanity. In this sense Jesus is the "Son of man" because he possesses a true human body (Jn 6:53) and has the capacity for human activities like resting (Mt 8:20), eating and drinking (Lk 7:34), suffering (Mk 8:31), and even lying in a grave (Mt 12:40).

But something more lies hidden within this "Son of man" expression that, in certain contexts, stretches it beyond merely human limitations. Sometimes Jesus refers to himself in this way, and then goes on to claim all kinds of
divine
prerogatives for himself. As the "Son of man", he has the authority to forgive sins (Mk 2:10), suspend the Sabbath (Mk 2:28), and judge men for their deeds (Jn 5:27), and he even claims to be sent down from heaven (Jn 3:31)! What accounts for this fuller meaning? Could Jesus expect his disciples to unpack from this simple expression such enormous claims of divine authority?

The answer again leads us to the Old Testament, this time to the Book of Daniel. Here the prophet spends an entire chapter describing a bizarre vision of things to come (Dan 7:1-28). At first Daniel sees four beasts trudging up out of the sea, with each one looking more ferocious and powerful than the one before it. These monsters, we are told, represent pagan empires notoriously hostile to Israel. They instigate war with God's faithful people, called the "saints of the Most High" (Dan 7:25), and then the fourth and worst beast begins to trample them mercilessly. All of a sudden, the scene jumps from earth to heaven, where a celestial courtroom is in session and the Lord is seated as one "ancient of days" upon his royal throne (Dan 7:9). Into his presence comes a glorious figure "like a son of man", being escorted on the clouds of heaven (Dan 7:13). The court judges this "son of man" to be a worthy figure and gives him a kingdom unmatched in size and prestige by any other in history. With his coronation, the court likewise pronounces a verdict of condemnation upon the fourth beast, strips him of his power, and hands over his dominion to the "Son of man" and the "saints" of God (Dan 7:26-27).

Here we see a "Son of man" who looks more like a glorious and divine Messiah than a lowly and insignificant mortal. He is enthroned in heaven, given authority over all nations, and his royal appointment signals the dramatic defeat of God's enemies. The victorious outcome of this prophetic dream makes it impossible to think that Jesus could adopt for himself a title like the "Son of man" without drawing the minds of his followers back to this memorable vision. Indeed, there are several occasions in the Gospels when he makes unmistakable allusions to it (Mt 19:28; 24:30; 25:31). In these instances, we see Jesus teaching his disciples through the Scriptures about his own kingship and about the authority given him to triumph over evil. Even at his trial, Jesus can stand face to face with his accusers and claim that the death sentence awaiting him will not mean his demise. For he is the "Son of man", and the Father will soon vindicate him, raise him up, seat him on a royal throne, and decree the destruction of all his enemies (Mt 26:64; Mk 14:62).

The "Son of man" is an expression that tells us a great deal about the Messiah and his mission. Its roots in the Old Testament show it to be versatile and full of significance, able to draw our attention to things human and mortal and to lift us up to see a glorious king seated next to the Lord. Who, then, is this "Son of man"? It is Jesus Christ, who conquered evil and now sits enthroned in heaven, exercising his universal kingship over the world through the Church (Mk 16:19; Acts 7:56; Rev 14:14-16). «
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18:13 the tax collector:
Considered sinners and second-class citizens by the Pharisees.
See note on Mk 2:14
.
God, be merciful:
A prayer of humility and dependence on God. Unlike the Pharisee, he parades none of his credentials before God and begs only for forgiveness (Ps 51:1-4; Dan 9:18) (CCC 2559, 2839). 
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18:16 belongs the kingdom:
Since Baptism is the doorway into God's kingdom (Jn 3:5), the early Church naturally administered the sacrament to young
children
(Acts 2:38-39; CCC 1250-52). • Following the apostolic age, clear evidence for the widespread practice of Infant Baptism emerges from the second and third centuries
A.D.
, where early Fathers such as Origen trace it back to apostolic tradition (
Comm. Rom.
5, 9). The Council of Trent (1547) later confirmed and promoted the practice (Sess. 7, can. 13). 
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