Seven Woes at the Table

Luke 11:37-52. Have you ever been in a social setting and realized you had been set up? Maybe that person your friends had been trying to get you to date was “coincidentally” there too, or you mention a certain topic only to realize someone there had been waiting for you to bring it up. Our seventh week exploring dinner scenes of Luke’s Gospel—Luke’s primary way of displaying Jesus’ approach to evangelism—brings us to exactly that kind of setting, where Jesus once again springs one of the religious elite’s traps only to turn the tables on them. One disclaimer here: Jesus’ attitude in the majority of this text can come off to a casual reader as unexpectedly confrontational, or even rude. It’s important to remember here that Luke’s goal in presenting Jesus throughout his Gospel is to show him as someone who comforts the vulnerable and holds those to blame for injustice responsible for their actions. So, join us as we watch Jesus confront those he holds responsible for the suffering of those he loves.