This is The Living Word Bible study for groups and individuals, with verse by verse commentary, reflections and questions to consider.
It is paired with this linked article, which draws out the message, and a storytelling video (13 min) Who Has My Heart?
The Bible readings (Revised Common Lectionary) are:
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 — Elisha’s devotion sees him succeed his master
Luke 9:51-62 — The kingdom of God demands our full commitment
Galatians 5:1, 13-25 — Not constrained by rules, led by the Spirit
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Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20
1-2 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted.
11-12 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will rememberYour miracles of long ago. I will consider all Your works and meditate on all Your mighty deeds.
13-15 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; You display Your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed Your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
16-18 The waters saw You, God, the waters saw You and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, Your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.
19-20 Your path led through the sea, Your way through the mighty waters, though Your footprints were not seen. You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
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2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 — Elisha’s devotion sees him succeed his master
He witnesses Elijah being taken up to heaven in a miraculous way
1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
“Gilgal” — the less well-known Ephraim hill country Gilgal north of Bethel.
2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
“Stay here” — urged to remain behind, three times in all Elisha pledged to stay with his master until his departure.
7-8 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
“The water divided” — striking the water with the rolled-up cloak visually represented God’s power to the watching prophets.
• For comparison, the Red Sea before Moses, Exodus 14:15-31.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you, before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
“A double portion” — not an arrogant demand, Elisha seeks an inheritance like an older son, to succeed Elijah in the prophetic office.
• For further study, read Deut. 21:17, 1 Kings 19:16,19-21
10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours — otherwise, it will not.”
“A difficult thing”— the Lord’s assignment, not Elijah’s.
11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
“Elijah…went up… in a whirlwind” — one of two people in the Bible (with Enoch, Gen. 5:24) to be taken to heaven without experiencing death.
“Chariot… and horses of fire” — fire in God’s appearance was a sign of His mighty power.
• For further study, Isaiah 66:15, also Exodus 3:2, 13:21, 2 Chron. 7:1.
12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.
“Chariots and horsemen of Israel” — Elisha suddenly saw how Elijah, not the faithless king, was the Lord’s representative and strength of the nation.
13-14 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
“Picked up Elijah’s cloak” — and uses it to part the Jordan River and authenticate his call (hence our saying ‘mantle of authority’).
Reflection
SUMMARY Elijah knows his ministry is drawing to a close and his devoted apprentice Elisha asks to inherit the prophetic anointing. He sees a vision of heavenly flaming horsemen and Elijah is swept up, dropping his cloak. Elisha then picks up his master’s mantle and invoking the Lord’s power strikes the Jordan’s water and sees it part in the same way as Elijah had done earlier.
APPLICATION Elisha had given up everything to become Elijah’s apprentice and had proved himself teachable and devoted to God. Those are still prime requirements for God to use us in His kingdom.
QUESTION To be a disciple of God means to be an apprentice. How teachable are you?
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Luke 9:51-62 — The kingdom of God demands our full commitment
As Jesus resolutely prepares to enter Jerusalem He looks for followers of substance
51 As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
“Taken up” — other uses of this word group all refer to Christ’s ascension.
“Resolutely set out” — or ‘set His face’, a phrase used by the OT prophets proclaiming judgment against God’s people.
• For further study, see Isaiah 50:7, Jer. 21:10, Ezek. 6:2, 13:17, 20:46.
52-53 And He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for Him; but the people there did not welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem.
“People… did not welcome” — historic hostility. After its earlier fall than Jerusalem, Samaria had been resettled and its people worshipped on Mount Gerizim. A Judean ruler destroyed their temple.
54-56 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then He and His disciples went to another village.
“Call fire down… to destroy them” — the “sons of thunder”, Mark 3:17, recalled Elijah calling down fire from heaven against the enemies of God. But Jesus’ mission is not to compel people to follow Him (like a religion) but to bring the free offer of the gospel, Matt. 11:28.
• For further study on Elijah calling down fire: 1 Kings 18:38, 2 Kings 1:1-17.
• How Samaria later received the gospel: Acts 8:4-8, 14-17, 25, 9:31.
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to Him, “I will follow You wherever you go.”
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow Me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Still another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
“I will follow” — there is a cost, and bereavement or family ties should not keep anyone from the commitment required.
“Bury my father” — who had not just died: burials always followed without delay. A year later it was the custom to place the bones with other ancestors, hence “Let the dead (ancestors) bury (or receive) their own (recent) dead”. This could wait.
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
“Looks back” — as concentration is needed to keep oxen and plough straight, service in the kingdom of God is intentional.
Reflection
SUMMARY Jesus knows that His entry into Jerusalem will amount to a judgment and bring conflict. He speaks to Hhis disciples and wider circle of followers about their resolve to follow His way and the personal cost.
APPLICATION Genuine faith believes, acts and continues. If we profess to believe in Jesus but backpedal over following Him, it raises the question of how real our faith is.
QUESTION Discuss what Jesus is saying about the place of family responsibilities.
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Galatians 5:1, 13-25 — Not constrained by rules, led by the Spirit
To walk by the Spirit is about choosing to live by heavenly freedom
1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
“It is for freedom” — the Galatian letter reminds Jewish believers that living by faith and fellowship is a radical step away from Judaism’s religious legalism.
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
“Called to be free… but” — what will guide conduct if the law is not the guide? A far better guide than rules, the Holy Spirit internalises righteous values, v.16.
14-15 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
“The entire law is fulfilled” — the leading of the Holy Spirit which is having a generous spirit towards others, expresses the intention of “the Law and the Prophets”.
• Further study: Matt. 7:12, Mark 12:31, also Romans 13:8-10.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
“Desires of the flesh” — looks back to “bite and devour each other”. The religious way of trying to achieve status with God breeds a self-righteous attitude and criticism of others.
17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
“Flesh… and…Spirit…are in conflict with each other” — the flesh, or human nature, is controlling and self-centred, while the Holy Spirit is enabling and freeing, to the extent that we yield to Him. The remedy is not greater effort but recognising the conflict, and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us in His ways.
19-21 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
“Acts of the flesh” — even after we give our lives to Christ, the old selfish human nature continues to kick in.
22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
“Fruit of the Spirit” — grown in the human spirit by the Holy Spirit residing there, like a nine-lobed fruit of Christian character, all growing together in us.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
“Belong to Christ Jesus” — having made the personal choice to repent (turn from the old life), to believe and receive new life through new spiritual birth in making Jesus Lord of our life, Mark 1:15, John 3:3.
“Crucified the flesh” — ego put to death.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
“Live by the Spirit” — not by the rules of the law (or any religious rules). It is a new life, lived in a new way, John 3:5-6, and “keeping in step” is a picture of the Holy Spirit pacing us as our coach and mentor in life.
Reflection
SUMMARY This passage talks about the law and how ultimately, this is about our relationships with one another. It also contrasts the compulsion of the flesh — human will and desire — with being led by the Spirit….
APPLICATION The picture is of walking with the Spirit at the same pace, in the same direction and growing in the nine hallmarks of the Holy Spirit, which are about being loving, joyful, gentle and accommodating towards others.
QUESTION Paul expects his hearers or readers to live by the Spirit. What does he mean and what is our expectation?
PRAYER Lord, in my spirit I want to give You my full commitment,
but my flesh causes me to falter.
I ask for a deeper experience of Your Spirit and the life of the Spirit,
to help me keep in step with You wherever You lead me.
Amen.
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The Living Word for June 26, 2022, is a non-denominational Bible study which relies on the Bible explaining the Bible, uninfluenced by any church’s traditions or preferences, and following the Bible’s own sequence of progressive revelation. Read the whole passage first and let the Holy Spirit begin speaking to you through it, then go deeper with the verse by verse commentary and reflections. The week’s readings are as set by the Revised Common Lectionary, an inter-denominational resource shared by many different churches and chapels. The Bible version, widely used in contemporary churches, is the NIV © Biblica. Ref. TLW25C
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PRINT EDITION There’s also a PDF print edition produced as a convenient Bible-sized folder which downloads from the link below. Permission given to copy for your own use, home group, or discipling use in the church generally.
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