Chapter # 4 Paragraph # 3 Study # 5
November 19, 2006
Lincolnton, NC
(299)
AV Translation:
37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.
1901 ASV Translation:
37 And there went forth a rumor concerning him into every place of the region round about.
Luke's Record:
- I. The Rumor.
- A. Luke addresses the "spread" of the reputation of Jesus three times: Luke 4:14; 4:37; and 7:17.
- B. There are several stages involved in Luke's record.
- 1. There is the "attraction" stage where people are "hearing rumors" and are becoming sufficiently curious to seek out a personal opportunity to check them out.
- 2. There is the "experience" stage where people are actually on hand to witness what is happening.
- 3. There is the "witness" stage where those with experience have become the source of new rumors.
- 4. Ultimately there is the cessation of the "experience" stage. At this point, all there is left is the "rumor" stage -- people "testifying" of what they have experienced.
- 5. However, the coming of the Holy Spirit as the Attendant of the Word is more than a sufficient compensation for the absence of first hand experience.
- C. The problems of disbelief.
- 1. When disbelief is determined, nothing -- not personal experience, nor the ministry of the Spirit -- will override it unless God decides to be extra-gracious.
- 2. However, when gullibility is primary almost any kind of "testimony" is deemed credible.
- 3. Somewhere between cynicism and gullibility, "conviction" lives.
