A faithful priest

I have been thinking about this phrase we find in 1 Sam. 2:35. Lee Dahn believes the story of Jesus in the Temple at the age of twelve is an allusion to this verse. In the Parable of the Unjust Steward, we read: “He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.

I am now wondering if A faithful priest is the theme of the entire Gospel of Luke!!

The Prophet Samuel is not quite a priest. Therefore this allusion to Samuel does not at first suggest that the Lucan Jesus is the faithful priest.

Lee Dahn noticed a relationship between two Lucan parables based on the use of the word “faithful.” Although the word “faithful” appears 82 times in 74 verses of the KJV including 5 times in Luke and once in Acts, it is apparent that there is special relationship in Luke. The Parables of the Faithful and Unfaithful Servants (12:35-48); Unjust Steward (16:1-13; and the Parable of Stewardship (19:11-27) are related.

Lazarus begged for crumbs from the table of the High Priest but the High Priest was not a faithful priest. The Lord did raise up for himself Lazarus but when the High Priest begged for mercy Lazarus was unable to serve him because “a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.” This verse about the chasm was probably added so that Lazarus does not appear to be unmerciful. The contrast is stark as are the consequences. The faithful priest is a theme, hidden in the background, throughout Luke-Acts.

But Ezra, who arrived on the scene later than Samuel, is described as “a priest and scribe, a direct descendant of Aaron through Eleazar (Ezra 7:1-5).” As noted earlier, Luke in fact used the Book of Ezra as a source for the Parable of the Unjust Steward. The unjust steward is a priest. The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is the story of two priests. In Acts the stories of waiting on tables and Sceva and his sons may also be about priests. Is there a pattern here? See Part 1: http://ltdahn-theophilus.blogspot.com/2008/07/sceva-episode-parrt-1.html and

Part 2: http://ltdahn-theophilus.blogspot.com/2008/07/sceva-episode-part-2_17.html

But it is also interesting that Ezra describes his lineage of “a direct descendant of Aaron through Eleazar” in this way. The question of the legitimacy of the priesthood may also be lurking in the background.

Copyrighted 2008

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Gospel of Luke