9  The Popularity and Power of Jesus  (Luke 6:17–19)

Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a great throng of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured. And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all. (6:17–19)

The Bible is a priceless gem with many facets. Scripture is the law of the Lord, which is perfect, the testimony of the Lord, which is sure, the precepts of the Lord, which are right, the commandments of the Lord, which are pure, and the judgments of the Lord, which are true. The Word of God restores the soul, gives wisdom, produces joy is the source of spiritual truth, instructs in worship, and warns against sin (Ps. 19:7–11).

The Bible’s many-faceted divine truth reflects one unifying theme—the plan of redemption. God has chosen for His own glory to elect and redeem a people to be the objects of His love, subjects of His eternal kingdom, and the everlasting worshipers who offer perfect praise, honor, and service to Him forever. The Bible details that plan of redemption from its inception in eternity past to its consummation in eternity future. Frompredestination to justification through sanctification to glorification the Bible is the story of the outworking of God’s gracious plan of salvation.

As that saving purpose unfolds through redemptive history, several recurring themes are revealed throughout both the Old and New Testaments.

First and foremost, Scripture is God’s self-revelation of His character and deeds. He is the sovereign, creator, and ruler of the universe, who chose to make the human race and to reveal Himself to mankind. The Old Testament records that God unveiled Himself through the created universe (Ps. 19:1; especially man, who was created in His image [Gen. 1:26–27; cf. Ps. 139:13–14]), the work of angels (Heb.2:2), signs, supernatural wonders (Deut. 6:22; Neh. 9:10), and visions (Gen. 15:1; 46:2; Isa. 1:1; Ezek. 1:1; Hos. 12:10), as well as through the prophets (2 Kings 17:13; Jer. 7:25; Dan.9:6; cf.Heb. 1:1).

In the New Testament God also spoke through angels (Matt. 1:20; 28:5; Luke 1:11–20, 26–38; 2:9–12; Acts 5:19–20; 8:26; 10:3–7; 27:23–24; Rev. 1:1), signs, wonders, and miracles (Heb. 2:3–4), visions (Acts 9:10–16; 18:9; 26:12–19), the words of apostles (Acts 2:42; Eph. 3:4–5) and prophets (Acts 11:27–28;21:10–11.But supremely God has spoken in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:2).

Scripture reveals secondly that God judges sin and disobedience. Only four of the Bible’s 1, 189 chapters—the first two, which take place before the fall (Gen. 1, 2) and the last two, which take place after the creation of the new heaven and the new earth (Rev. 21, 22)—do not occur in the context of a fallen, sin-cursed world. The disastrous consequences of sin began with Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden after the fall, and continued through Cain’s murder of Abel, to the universal wickedness of the human race that brought the worldwide flood of Noah’s day, the dark days of the judges, and the rebellion and idolatry of God’s people that resulted in the destruction and deportation first of Israel, and then of Judah.

The New Testament also continues the saga of sin and its tragic results. The preaching of John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the apostles featured a call for repentance (Matt. 4:17; Mark 6:12; Luke 5:32; 13:1–5; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20; 2 Peter 3:9). But the Jewish people and the Gentiles rejected the call and murdered the messengers. Their disobedience was even more flagrant than that in the Old Testament, because it was committed in the clearer light of New Testament truth.

A third feature in Scripture is the divine blessing for faith and obedience. Those who recognize their inability to keep God’s holy law, acknowledge and repent of their sin, and ask God for forgiveness through the work of Christ, based solely on His grace and mercy, receive redemption and blessing, both for time and eternity. The heroes of faith in the Old Testament, from Abel through the patriarchs, to the believing remnant of Israel, and even Gentiles (such as those in Nineveh who repented under the preaching of Jonah) were the recipients of God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness because they repented of sin and entrusted themselves to God who gives mercy and grace to those who turn to Him in faith. The New Testament proclaims the saving gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek”(Rom. 1:16).

Above all those wondrous realities is the overarching glory of both the Old and New Testaments—the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one of whom “all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins”(Acts 10:43).Therefore “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev 19:10), and as the Lord declared, the Scriptures testify about Him (John 5:39; cf. Luke 24:27, 44).

In the Old Testament Jesus is the promised seed of the woman, who would crush the head of Satan (Gen. 3:15); the true sacrifice for sin to which the Old Testament sacrifices pointed (Heb. 9:11–28); the final Passover Lamb whom all the others foreshadowed (1 Cor. 5:7; cf. Ex. 12:3–11); the ark of safety, a refuge from the storms of judgment for all who are His (1 Peter 3:20–21; cf. Gen. 7:13–24); the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5), who will destroy His enemies (Ps. 2:8–9) and reign forever (Luke 1:31–33); David’s greater Son, who will sit on his throne (Luke 1:32), and yet David’s Lord (Luke 20:41–44). His rule will encompass both an earthly millennial kingdom and an eternal kingdom of righteousness and salvation, and embrace Israel (Isa. 65:17–19; Zeph. 3:11–20), as well as the rest of humanity (cf. Dan.7:14, 27; Zech. 14:16–21).

In the New Testament the Gospels record Jesus’ virgin birth, perfectly righteous life, sacrificial and substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, and ascension to the Father’s right hand. Acts records the spread of the good news of salvation in Christ and its impact on the world. The New Testament epistles explain the meaning and significance of the Savior’s life, death, and resurrection. Revelation, the consummation of history, describes His return to judge the ungodly, reward the righteous, rule the earth for a thousand years, and then create the eternal new heaven and new earth.

In keeping with the centrality of the Lord Jesus Christ in Scripture, Luke carefully, systematically presents the story of His life and ministry, providing irrefutable proof that He is God the Son, the Lord, Messiah, and Savior. So far he has given the testimonies of angels (1:11–17, 26–33; 2:9–14), Zacharias (1:76–79), Elizabeth (1:41–45), Mary (1:46–55), the shepherds (2:15–20), Simeon (2:25–35), Anna (2:36–38), Jesus Himself at the age of twelve (2:49), the Father and the Spirit at Hisbaptism (3:21–22), John the Baptist—the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets (3:15–17), Jesus’ genealogy (3:23–38), the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy concerning Him (4:16–21), the singular and divine character of His authoritative preaching (4:32), His power over Satan (4:1–13), demons (4:33–36, 41), disease (4:38–40; 5:12–15, 17–25; 6:10), and the natural world (5:4–9), His authority to forgive sin (5:20–25), and His divine sovereignty over the Sabbath, the core of Israel’s works system (6:1–11). Luke’s inspired account has built a masterful case that Jesus was indeed God in human flesh, the Messiah and Lord.

Occasionally in his careful account of the Lord’s life and ministry Luke freezes the action into a still photo. This passage is the fourth such summary so far in his gospel (along with 4:14–15, 31–32, 40–41), and provides a rich recap of the Lord’s ministry up to this point. As the video temporarily pauses, the ensuing snapshot reveals two important aspects of Christ’s ministry: His popularity, and His power.

THE POPULARITY OF JESUS

Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a great throng of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, (6:17)

By this point in His ministry, Jesus had become enormously popular, far more than anyone else in Israel had ever been. Huge crowds followed Him wherever He went (cf. 4:42; 5:15); a later crowd would number five thousand men (9:14). Including the women and children, there were likely more than twenty thousand people present on that occasion. Matthew and Mark record another crowd of similar size (Matt. 15:38; Mark 8:9), while Luke describes another incident where “so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another” (12:1).

Luke sorts the people present on this occasion into three groups. First were the newly appointed twelve apostles. After spending the night in prayer and choosing them (6:12–16), Jesus came down with the Twelve and stood on a level place. As will be discussed in chapter 10 of this volume, the sermon Jesus was about to preach in verses 20 to 49 is Luke’s condensed version of the Sermon on the Mount (cf.Matt.5–7).The level place was therefore not a plain, but rather a plateau on the side of the mountain mentioned in Matthew 5:1.Some identify the location with a plateau near Capernaum. Jesus, like the rabbis, customarily sat down when He taught (4:20; 5:3; Matt. 5:1; 13:2; John 8:2); He stood at this timebecause He was not yet teaching, but was healing those who were sick and casting out demons (v 18).

The second group consisted of a large crowd of His disciples. The apostles were the messengers chosen by the Lord to preach the gospel. They were just beginning their formal training as the first generation of gospel heralds. The disciples, on the other hand, were an assortment of people who were regular followers of Jesus. They were at various levels of understanding and commitment, but all considered Jesus to be their teacher. Some, as time would prove, were genuine followers; most, it seems, were not and would eventually desert Him (cf. John 6:66). A consistent pattern of obedience to Christ’s word (John 8:31) distinguishes the wheat (true disciples) from the tares (false disciples), as the Lord’s parable indicates (Matt. 13:24–30). Jesus in His divine omniscience knew who were the real disciples, and who were not (John 2:23–25; 6:64). The genuine were few (cf.Matt.7:14).

The final group were the ever-present curious, whom Luke described as a great throng of people. Luke sometimes used laos (people) to refer to God’s people (e.g., 1:68, 77; 2:32). But more often the term refers to those who were inquisitive, but uncommitted (e.g., 7:1, 29; 8:47; 9:13; 18:43; 19:48; 20:1; 21:38; 23:35). Luke distinguished them from Jesus’ disciples, who had at least a nominal commitment to following Him. The large crowd was from all Judea (used here in a non-technical sense to referto all of Israel, not just the southern region), including Jerusalem, the religious and cultural center of the nation. Some of those from Jerusalem were members of the religious establishment spying on Him (cf. 5:17).

In addition to those from Israel, this last group also included people from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. Those two cities were the most important ones in Phoenicia (cf. Jer. 47:4; Joel 3:4; Matt. 11:21–22; Acts 12:20), the region north and west of Galilee on the Mediterranean Sea, in modern day Lebanon. Phoenicia was a predominantly Gentile area, but some Jews also lived there. Tyre and Sidon had been significant seaports in Old Testament times, until they were destroyed by the devastating judgment prophesied in Ezekiel 26–28. Their sordid immorality made the two cities emblematic of pagan religion. Jesus’ appeal knew no bounds; pagans, common people, and the religiously literate were all drawn to Him. And later He made a visit to the region of Tyre and Sidon (Mark 7:24–31).

THE POWER OF JESUS

who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured. And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all. (6:18–19)

The popularity of Jesus was largely the result of His power, displayed in three dimensions.

In the mental realm, Jesus’ power found expression in His unprecedented teaching, which the people had come to hear. At the end of the sermon He was about to preach, “the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (Matt. 7:28–29). When the chief priests and Pharisees demanded to know why the officers they had sent to arrest Jesus (John 7:32) had returned empty-handed, they replied, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks” (v.46).

Unparalleled teaching, bringing the good news of salvation, eternal life, hope, peace, and joy to the minds of His hearers, was the preeminent aspect of the Lord’s ministry Miracles corroborated His claim to be the Son of God and verified that He taught the truth, but they could not save anyone (cf. John 12:37). Everywhere He went the Lord preached the good news that God would forgive those who are spiritually destitute, blind, oppressed, and held captive in sin’s grip (cf. Luke 4:18) if they repented (Matt. 4:17). His mental agility, clarity, force, and depth were without parallel, and salvation came to those who heard His message and embraced the truth.

Jesus’ words remain equally authoritative today As Paul wrote to Timothy, “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing”(1 Tim. 6:3–4). Pastors and teachers merely pass on the truths that He taught.

Jesus also demonstrated power over the physical realm; He not only had power over the mind, but also over the body To verify that He spoke the truth, and to show His compassion, the Lord healed those who were sick of their diseases (cf.4:38–39; 5:17–25; 6:6–10). Unlike modern perverse and selective phony faith healers, He cured all the people who were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all. Further, His healings were miracles that required creative power; He created functioning eyes and ears in giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and the ability to speak to the mute, full function to crippled limbs, healing of incurable illnesses, such as leprosy, and raising the dead required creative power (Luke 7:22).

Finally Luke, in saying that those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured, shows Jesus’ power over the world of spiritual beings. By casting out demons, Jesus demonstrated His absolute authority over the domain of Satan (cf. 4:33–35, 41). The Lord answered those who strangely and blasphemously accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan by pointing out His obvious supremacy over him:

Jesus’ power was comprehensive. He was able to minister to the mind by teaching the truth, the body by healing diseases, and the soul by casting out demons.

Several significant truths emerge from this brief, but important passage. First and foremost, Jesus’ unparalleled teaching, miraculous power to heal, and absolute control of the realm of Satan and his demon hosts prove conclusively that He is God.

Second, the Lord of heaven’s earthly ministry provides a preview of heaven. In that place of supreme joy and bliss, the redeemed will see God face-to-face and know Him to the fullest extent to which finite beings are capable (1 Cor. 13:12). All disease, disabilities, death, suffering, sorrow, and pain will be forever banished (Isa.25:8; Rev.21:4). Satan and the demons will be permanently incarcerated in hell (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10), and no longer able to afflict or tempt God’s people.

Third, the way Jesus manifested His power revealed His compassion. He could have demonstrated His divine power by performing any kind of miraculous act. But Jesus chose to do things beneficial to suffering, oppressed sinners. His compassion was a constant theme of His ministry Matthew 9:36 notes that Jesus “felt compassion for [the people], because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” On another occasion, “He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick” (Matt. 14:14). When He encountered two blind men, Jesus was” moved with compassion [and] touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him” (Matt. 20:34). When “a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean’“ (Mark 1:40), Jesus once again was “moved with compassion [and] stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’“ (v.41). Jesus halted a funeral procession for a widow’s only son and raised him from the dead because “He felt compassion for her” (Luke 7:13).

This passage presents the Lord Jesus Christ as the compassionateand triumphant teacher, healer, and deliverer. Clearly divine, He deserves honor, worship, and obedience. And it is the responsibility of all who are His to go beyond mere curiosity, or even discipleship, and be messengers, taking the truth about Him to the lost world that so desperately needs to hear it (Matt.28:18–20; Acts 1:8).