FREE

 Still I can mail (plain cover), free and without obligation or follow-up, a copy of the booklet: Mark or John (both in Contemporary English Version). Just email me your address. These were sourced from the Bible Society - they sell Scriptures in many languages.
https://www.bibleshop.org.au/bibles/other-languages.html

I also have a few "Jesus" DVDs (16 languages). The script uses Luke's Gospel. The film was originally released about 30 years ago by the "Jesus Film Project". The DVDs are sourced from "Power to Change, Australia" (originally "Campus Crusade for Christ"). Other languages available.

http://store.powertochange.org.au/brands/Jesus-Film-Project.html

Nativity

Following are almost all of the (translated) original sources of the “Nativity Story” chapters, as related in Matthew and Luke (minus table of ancestors, headings and some punctuation). I have somewhat arbitrarily inserted the text from Matthew 2 in Luke. In some places today “Nativity Scenes” are popular; they also appear on some Christmas cards. Those scenes reflect ideas common in parts of the culture. (I have not tried to establish how these scenes and popular traditions came to be.) I will add notes to point out the common extraneous guesses or wishful thinking or errors. I am also repeating these notes of mine at the end in larger font. (The Bible text is available in these versions, and others, through biblegateway.com and through blueletterbible.org. )

Luke 1: 1-25 Many people have tried to tell the story of what God has done among us. They wrote what we had been told by the ones who were there in the beginning and saw what happened. So I made a careful study[a] of everything and then decided to write and tell you exactly what took place. Honorable Theophilus, I have done this to let you know the truth about what you have heard.

   When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest by the name of Zechariah from the priestly group of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was from the family of Aaron.[b] Both of them were good people and pleased the Lord God by obeying all that he had commanded. But they did not have children.

Mary

Jesus' mother was named Mary. Despite the interest of the Gospel writers in the role of women in the Christ-event, references to this Mary are actually sparse, apart, naturally, from the “birth narratives”. The final NT mention has her in Jerusalem during the waiting period between Jesus’ death and resurrection and his sending of his replacement (the Holy Spirit).

They all came together regularly to pray. The women joined them too. So did Jesus’ mother Mary and his brothers (Acts 1:14, NIRV).
Surely she was still there (as was John) for the momentous Day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2).

Grace

Long ago, Mary of Nazareth was jolted by the arrival of Gabriel, God’s messenger, telling her she was to bear a son to be named Jesus. A son who would rule forever. She was assured that she had no need to be afraid. God had favoured her and was holding her in that favour.
And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’[b] But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. (Luke 1:28-31, NRSV)

The word “favour“ in this passage is also translated by the word “grace”, or by “blessing”, or by “kindness”. The word we know as “grace” is found over 100 times in the NT. The word is in Luke (including Acts), and John. Most of the occurrences are in the writings of Paul, apostle of Jesus. (It is only not found in the first and third letters of John.)

Bible use of the noun χάρις (charis), translated as “grace”, varies. It is regularly but not always rendered as “favour”. The English word "grace" is also used in different ways.

Early in the pages of the OT there is report of a moment when the Egyptians had no reason to feel kindly towards their labourers:
“I will cause the Egyptians to treat you in a kind way. Then when you leave, you will not go with your hands empty. (Exodus 3:21, NIRV) Many translations use the word
“favour” here for how the escapees will be treated by their masters. In its version of the moment the Greek OT (Septuagint, or, LXX) has χάρις (charis). (The Hebrew word in that Bible is found about 69 times in the OT and is often translated as “favour” [favor].)

John wrote about Jesus, using the same word to say what Jesus’ entry into the world had meant - Jesus brought the undeserved kindness (or favour, or blessing) of God. One translation puts it like this (all underlining added by me to draw attention to the term):
The Word became a human being and lived here with us. We saw his true glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. From him all the kindness and all the truth of God have come down to us. (John 1:14, CEV) ….. (text omitted) Because of all that the Son is, we have been given one blessing after another. The Law was given by Moses, but Jesus Christ brought us undeserved kindness and truth. (John 1:16-17, CEV)

Thus we see applications of the “grace” word:

• Mary was favoured in the role she was God-given in the coming of Jesus. 
• Those, though undeserving, who received (or receive) Jesus are favoured with God’s limitless mercy, which is for all who will.

There is more...
Jesus, the one who brought and brings grace, can have the “favour” word applied to him in the (scanty) report of his early years:
And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favour of God was upon him. (Luke 2:40, ESV)
Jesus became wise, and he grew strong. God was pleased with him and so were the people. (Luke 2:52, CEV)

We read the “grace” word in descriptions of events during Jesus’ public activism.

And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?” (Luke 4:22, ESV). Jesus was speaking in his hometown synagogue. Hearers were impressed with the words of grace coming from him. I wonder if they were taken that moment by more than Jesus’ oratorical skills and grasp of their Bible. Perhaps they welcomed exhilarating Isaiah 61 promises of the LORD’s actions in favour of their nation. (As my guess - maybe Jesus developed what the Servant of the LORD would do for God’s people? That could be provocative!) All too soon they were scandalised and furious with him - as you may read for yourself in the context. If they had been viewing him favourably, they ceased to do so.

The word was used in another way by Jesus himself:

“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! (Luke 6:32, NLT) This is similar to Jesus’ question:
Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? (Luke 17:9, NRSV). Well-treating others who treat you well is common sense; hardly noteworthy or praiseworthy. The slave doing just what the master ordered was not making a gift of that service! (”Slavery” ? - might be a topic for another time?)

In his second volume, Luke made further use of the word. He tells us that at first in Jerusalem the message from the early followers of Jesus of the risen Saviour was well-received:
praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47, NRSV) For then, at least, “the people” thought well of the early believers.

A little further on we read:
The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. (Acts 4:33, NLT) God prospered their efforts and they experienced “success” - I see this as perhaps inner strengthening of them in their mission and, maybe broad acceptance in the populace. (If so, I demur from the esteemed NLT translators!)

Although the “grace” word is not used here, I propose that this is an OT passage which gave similar indications of what God is like, and what God likes to see:
but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:24, NRSV) It seems too easy to forget that first aspect of God's character.

Although again without the word “grace” (Matthew has “reward” instead), I think what we find here from Jesus is in similar vein:
But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors[a] love their friends. (Matthew 5:44-46, CEV) Those who receive grace and live by grace are called to live out grace.

Paul used the “grace” word to summarise God’s work in the believers:

You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. (Ephesian 2:8, CEV)

Or, in a more cautious translation of those words:

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8, NLT)

God was, and is, a God of grace. That same mercy is actively available to you.

The song about grace being amazing is well known. There are alternative versions.

http://lyricstranslate.com/en/John-Newton-Amazing-Grace-original-version-lyrics.html

Not so long ago Philip Yancey wrote about “Vanishing Grace” - the sad replacement of Jesus’ ways by other ways of treating people.

God has not changed.


Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIRV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL READER'S VERSION®.Copyright © 1996, 1998 Biblica. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of Biblica.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (RSV) are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Faith (v2)

Jesus encountered responses to himself which he judged as "faith".

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer^[b] came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant^[c] lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”
Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour. (Matthew 8: 5-13, NLT - all underlining in this post added by me.)

Even without a detachment of troops, how scary was it to see a Centurion coming forward? Surely it was all too clear who he was and what his job represented. (I suppose he was armed.) Had this soldier been seen before in the vicinity of Jesus? From Luke (8), it seems he was known. Luke also gives the impression the soldier, without becoming a Jew, may have been a person drawn to the LORD self-revealed in Scripture (ie, OT). He was certainly sympathetic to the Jews. (Judaism continued to be an allowed religion in the Empire.)

Matthew brings the officer before us here as a "stand-out". Somehow this man had become persuaded that Jesus would assuredly listen to him, and moreover, that Jesus was completely able to grant his request.  The Centurion surprised Jesus by his confidence in Jesus' healing power and mercy. In the end, the Centurion's "faith" (as the NRSV translates) was rewarded by the servant being restored to health. The idividual "outsider" stands in contrast with the "insider" group. Jesus had not previously found such a relationship.

Did Jesus look for faith in himself amongst his own people - the people of the Law? Remember these striking words from John, chapter 1: 10-13 (NRSV):
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own,^[c] and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. The record shows some did receive him and hold to their trust in him, difficult as it may have been. Possibly, at Jesus' apparent end, the "receivers" were not all that numerous, but they did in the end turn the world upside down.

Matthew puts that episode of the centurion near the following clear contrast I am taking from Mark..... 

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Mark 4: 35-41, NLT )

Their fears in the storm (Mark 4, above; also reported in Matthew and Luke) seem natural enough. Moreover,  professional fishermen would know the risk all too well. Then, in what way are they hindered by being unconfident? Should they have just known that no disaster could or would befall Jesus, and they were with him? (That interpretation seems beyond reasonable.) Surely they had been already assured that Jesus did care and that was beyond doubt? Could they have known that all they needed do was deliberately and trustingly turn their fearful need over to Jesus, even if it meant waking him? For sure their comprehension of Jesus needed to grow (as in fact it did), and thus their relationship develop. They are characterised here as lacking in belief or trust. (Matthew's version has that their faith was little, or few, or small or slight - the detour matter of variation again arises and I mention this below.) 

Note that Luke in his comparable report gives us the pointer that Jesus actively looked for people to take up this kind of relationship to him:  
Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!” (Luke 8:40, NLT). Where....? Jesus asks. Something vital is lacking from their relationship to him.
 
Perhaps here we see Jesus again amazed, but this time for an opposite reason. As to their shocked question (“Who is this man?”) - they were coming to the answer during these weeks and months. So much so, after the resurrection of Jesus they boldly set Jerusalem authorities "on their ear". So, for example, they said to those authorities:  
But there is something we must tell you and everyone else in Israel. This man is standing here completely well because of the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth. You put Jesus to death on a cross, but God raised him to life (Acts 4:10, CEV).

John has a Capernaum report which puts such a moment (or, the moment) even more starkly:
The official pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.” Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home. (John 4:49-50, NLT)
 

An instance of use of the word "faith" early on in Matthew has men bringing another to Jesus for help: And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” (...text omitted)  But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Stand up, take your bed and go to your home.” And he stood up and went to his home. When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings. (Matthew 9:2, 6-8 NRSV). Questions arise: Exactly whose faith did Jesus see - the four, or the five (assuming one man to each corner)? Whose idea was it to come? Why did the paralytic come - for healing, or for forgiveness? (Is there any difference?) Clear it is what kind of confidence and relationship to Jesus drives their action of coming/bringing to him the need. (Was this a time when Jesus found or saw in Israel the relationship he wanted; the reality that would change "everything"?)

Faith and gratitude are naturally associated. Luke has a report of an instructive event on this. (I have recently read expositions* of this passage which put forward guesses or assumptions as certainties. For this reason I substantially edited this segment of my post about the following, keeping questions as questions):
On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus went along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men with leprosy[a] came toward him. They stood at a distance and shouted, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 

Jesus looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”[b]On their way they were healed. When one of them discovered that he was healed, he came back, shouting praises to God. He bowed down at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was from the country of Samaria.
Jesus asked, “Weren’t ten men healed? Where are the other nine? Why was this foreigner the only one who came back to thank God?” Then Jesus told the man, “You may get up and go. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17: 11-19, CEV).
We can notice that all 10 asked for Jesus' mercy. All 10 set off in simple (?) trusting obedience to Jesus' direction, fulfilment of which would establish in their society the fact that they were healed! Were all 10 showing the same faith in action? To which priest did that foreigner (Samaritan) start to go (he presumably was outside of the Jewish religion)? The Samaritan turned back to express his gratitude and Jesus commended him. Did the Samaritan then go on, as required, to "the priest"? Were the other 9 grateful - surely they should have been? Was Jesus surprised that the 9 did not join the one? If Jesus was disappointed in the 9 were they not healed nevertheless? Was there only the one Samaritan amongst the 10? And, I wonder, were the nine glad to see the back of the Samaritan? (Jews had no dealings with Samaritans, except, it would seem, in the shared misery of that disease. Even for those with experience of Jesus, cultural, social and religious distinctions may linger.)     
"Faith" is actually a very frequent word in the NT (and the Bible as a whole). If considered along with the related word "believe" (verb - see, for example, Matthew 8:13 and John 1:12, above), the concept is even more prominent. It is a challenge to do enough justice to this key idea. I found that NRSV has faith 201 times in OT and 284 in NT. Believe is found in NRSV 28 times in OT and believe/d/s/rs 253 times in NT. In addition the word "persuade" (64 times in NT) is etymologically primary to "faith".

 So then, given the wealth of instances, there may be reason for a further post sometime on "faith". My core point here is that Jesus evaluates relationship to him. Many people may say many things, but what does Jesus say? This is what matters, and I think all of us, and any of us, can make a self-assessment, using the instances above.

Addendum detour, re that healing of the young male at Capernaum: Assuming the healing is the same event it is puzzling to reconcile the the accounts, even allowing for NT writers not having our idea of chronological exactness. The same applies to the order of events, and even the details of the Centurion's approach (example below). Some may find variations such as these a bother, or an excuse - I hope you do not; God will reward your trust and be pleased with your questions.

The other Synoptic Gospels report storm events similar to that in Mark 4 (see above). There are variations in the records (!). Here together from the RSV is that one instance:
Mark 4:40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?”
Matthew 8:26a And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?”
Luke 8:25a He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid... 
Matthew has Jesus using an unusual word to describe the defective trust (or lack of trust) shown by the disciples in the storm. Perhaps they were still at a childhood stage of development in their relationship to Jesus when they needed to be "grown ups"?
That particular expression occurs 6 times in the NT (Matthew 6: 30, 14:31, 16:8, 17:20 - the first is duplicated in Luke 12:28; not used by Mark, or John, or elsewhere) when Jesus speaks of having little or small faith, rather than none.

Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (RSV) are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

*Recent reading - assertions that the Samaritan ex-leper did not go to the priest. This claim was contained in a blog by a preacher and, more disconcertingly, in an article on "Leprosy" in the IVP Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. No evidence is given to support the assertion.

Master

I am focussing this post on “Master”, a particular word from from Luke’s Gospel. The old English translations made frequent use of “Master” as address to Jesus. The KJV Gospels include the word 67 times. In the English of today that word is less frequent and raises issues of translation.

However, the name by which we know the Saviour of the World (Jesus) is not really the central issue. (There is another - see following.)  In addition to “Lord”, think of “Master”, “Teacher” and “Rabbi” as words of address to Jesus (more on this below). We also have differences between Gospels and even some ancient authority support for alternative rendering.

This post will connect with my previous post on “Lord”, or “lord”. Here now are two reports in which Jesus has severe words for community service under his “brand”, however intentioned, or even for lip-service. He has no time for trading on his title. (The same word “Lord” occurs in both places.) First, see this grim warning contains a more central issue than questions about titles actually uttered by me or you…

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’  (Matthew 7:21-23, NRSV) No light matter this.

And we may compare Luke’s brief question:

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you? (Luke 6:46, NRSV)

Luke’s comparable passage has similar context but is clearly not identical to Matthew’s. We can hardly miss the similarity. (Do you know any substantial reason to exclude the possibility of Jesus saying similar things at different points in the chronology?)

Then the name you or I use for Jesus is so much less significant than what you or I do with him, what you or I do about what he said, what relationship you or I have with him (e.g., my Saviour, or, the Saviour?). Utterance is not the point. (Those who knew their OT would be unsurprised.) Does he know me? Does he know you? Is this not the central issue?

I note that Luke alone five times records a word as a title for Jesus which is sometimes paralleled by a different word in Matthew and/or Mark. Luke’s unique word is today rendered “Master”. This word is not really common with us. Luke's word has the basic meaning of overseer, person placed in charge - “chief”, “boss” or “sir”, though possibly a little less respectful than “Lord” may signify. It suggests role rather than rank. “Lord” may have been spoken more frequently and this “master” more distinctly associated with Greek language or culture.

Peter’s Master
Consider an early moment not covered by the other Gospels (though they do report Jesus’ use of a boat). Do the two titles for Jesus coming in this short period have significance?

When (Jesus) had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master*, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken;  and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:4-11, NRSV)

Is there a progression there for Peter’s understanding of Jesus? From master to Lord (lord)? An increase in respect?

A later pericope from a crowded time:

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,[c] but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master*, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”
But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”
Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”
Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” (Luke 8:43-45, NIV)

 The three synoptics report on the above incident (e.g., see Matthew 9 and Mark 5). Mark, like Luke, has other people referring to the “Teacher”. Only Luke has Peter directly addressing his corrective (!) to Jesus, with that title, “Master”. (What did he mean by his title of respect, coupled with his criticism? Did Peter still think of Jesus as “Lord”? Was “master” a lesser title? How easy was it to grasp the truth about Jesus?)
Incidentally, I checked 54 English versions (see: biblegateway.com) and found only 6 did not use “Master” in verse 5. (Their alternatives were: Sir; Teacher; Rabbi; Commander - the last was used only in the interesting Wycliffe Bible.)

Further on Luke records the “Transfiguration” event:

Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up on a mountain to pray. While he was praying, his face changed, and his clothes became shining white. Suddenly Moses and Elijah were there speaking with him. They appeared in heavenly glory and talked about all that Jesus' death[g] in Jerusalem would mean.
Peter and the other two disciples had been sound asleep. All at once they woke up and saw how glorious Jesus was. They also saw the two men who were with him.
Moses and Elijah were about to leave, when Peter said to Jesus, “Master*, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But Peter did not know what he was talking about.
While Peter was still speaking, a shadow from a cloud passed over them, and they were frightened as the cloud covered them. From the cloud a voice spoke, “This is my chosen Son. Listen to what he says!”
After the voice had spoken, Peter, John, and James saw only Jesus. For some time they kept quiet and did not say anything about what they had seen. (Luke 9:28-36, CEV)

In place of “Master”, Matthew has Peter saying “Lord”; Mark has “Rabbi” (see below on that word). This is puzzling but perhaps the word may fit with Luke’s intended audience.

Disciples’ Master
In chapter 8 we have a stressful moment for the followers:

One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.
The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master*, we’re going to drown!”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”
The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!” (Luke 8:22-25, NLT)

In that pericope, instead of “Master” from the disciples, Matthew uses “Lord”, and Mark uses “Teacher”. Clearly the three words all carry similar weight. Perhaps Luke’s also shows more the followers’ dependence on Jesus to look out for them in that situation - he had brought them there.

Andrew’s Master
Luke reported that John addressed the title “Master” to Jesus:

An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
John answered, “Master,* we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.” (Luke 9:46-50, ESV).

It may not be clear just what John was answering. Certainly what he said seems to reflect a lack of something. I hope that he (they) did heed their Master. (In his report, Mark has “Teacher”.)

Lepers’ Master 
In another pericope, unique to Luke, the word “master” is used, but this time by a group of other people, perhaps Jews:

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus went along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men with leprosy[b] came toward him. They stood at a distance and shouted, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
Jesus looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”[c]
On their way they were healed. (Luke 17:11-14,  CEV)

Maybe the “Master” title here particularly suits the content, though I could imagine "Lord" instead.

Jesus uses “Lord”, taken as “Master”
Probably the best known English use of “master” ascribed to Jesus is:

“No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Matthew 6:24, NRSV; Luke 16:13 is almost identical.)

That word “masters” is not the word I have discussed above in this post. It is in fact the same word used to title Jesus, “Lord” (κύριος; kyrios). I could fairly render Matthew's clause “no one can be slave to two lords”; which was all too clear at the time to those in servitude. (BibleGateway.com gives simultaneous access to 54 English versions of the verse; of them, 49 render the word as “masters”.)

Jesus, Rabbi
Jesus was often referred to as “Teacher”. This is true in all four Gospels. “Rabbi” is equivalent to “teacher”. Rabbi is not a Greek word but a representation in Greek of an Aramaic (and Hebrew) one. It thus is a particularly Jewish word. The word “Rabbi” is much less common in the Greek NT than the Greek for teacher, and in fact Rabbi does not occur in Luke. (Rabbi is most frequent in John.) The absence of the word from Luke may be a pointer to the author’s intended audience, if a pointer was needed. (The prologue makes the intention clear.)

Jesus, “Professor”
Here is a “Rabbi” example, one unique to Matthew, and one which may challenge on more than one level:

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.[a] And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. (Matthew 23:8-10, ESV)

This injunction comes to us hardly as ruling out a Hebrew word! If taken seriously, the passage is a little confronting and/or difficult, but does surely, at the very least, call for caution in heeding Bloggers (!), or anyone else. Surely Jesus thinks no one is authorised to dominate, or be superior on the basis of “knowledge”, or of role? (Re “father”: The father was to impart the Law to the young.)

In Matthew here we encounter another word, not found elsewhere in the Greek NT, translated above as “Instructor”. It carries the meaning of one who guides or leads the way. Modern Greek usage of the word is as for English, “Professor”. Looks like Jesus strongly and exclusively claims to be my Professor in knowing God - and maybe yours? (How remarkable that is, really.) None of the English translations use my interpretive “Professor”; many render as “Master”, which apparently harks back to 1392 with Wycliffe!

Many years before Jesus the Old Testament prophet had anticipated the time when God’s words would be internal with each one of God’s people. (To borrow from Paul, the “schoolmaster” days would be over.) Jesus said in Matthew (above), the disciples would follow his ways from within themselves. Responsibility is personal and individual.  This connects with Jeremiah:

The Lord said:
The time will surely come when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and Judah. It will be different from the agreement I made with their ancestors when I led them out of Egypt. Although I was their God, they broke that agreement.
Here is the new agreement that I, the Lord, will make with the people of Israel:
“I will write my laws
    on their hearts and minds.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
“No longer will they have to teach one another to obey me. I, the Lord, promise that all of them will obey me, ordinary people and rulers alike. I will forgive their sins and forget the evil things they have done.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34, CEV)

Do some say “but the heart is just a pump”? Sure, we have better anatomical knowledge. Nonetheless, the notion of heart-felt adherence, of genuine internal alignment with an implanted “handbook”, is not so obscure, even if not welcome.

The topic of this post (“Master”) is of course linked with “Lord” and “Teacher”. Perhaps we find a summary of a kind in what Jesus says to his followers in:

You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. (John 13:13, NLT)

Would Jesus say the same today? To you and to me? Could he?

Footnotes
Parallel account words replacing Master -
Luke 8:24: Matthew 8:25 = Lord; Mark 4:38 = Teacher
Luke 9:33: Matthew 17:4 = Lord; Mark 9:5 = Rabbi
Luke 9:49: Mark 9:38 = Teacher 

Notes re variations to Luke in textual apparatus footnotes (the variants are of secondary significance and none rate mention in the margins, eg, NRSV). Similarly to Matthew and Mark, all of the alternatives involve use of  “Lord” (κύριος; kyrios), or “Teacher” (διδάσκαλος; didaskalos), in place of “Master” (ἐπιστάτης; epistates)
Luke 5:5 - some ancient authorities have “Lord”
Luke 8:24 - an ancient authority has “Lord, Lord”
Luke 9:33 - an ancient authority has “Teacher”
Luke 9:49 - some ancient authorities have “Teacher”

Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Teacher

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. (Matthew 7:28-29, ESV) 

and in another place and different circumstance:

When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
“We have never heard anyone speak like this!” the guards responded.
“Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. (John 7:45-47, NLT)

Jesus did make a mark as a teacher - some teacher this! He made statements or gave directions which may well confront. At one point or another all of the Gospels make reference to people being astonished or deeply offended by Jesus’ teaching. The guards felt that he spoke like no other before him.

And how could he speak in this way? It was only natural. He is the Lord (see previous post) and he, the Lord, speaks to us out of his generous kindness. He made no apology; he does not deliver ideas for contemplation or possible alternatives. No ordinary philosophy here. His words are the “new commandments”! People at the time found him perhaps “a bit much”!

He truly seeks your good and mine. Listen:

Go in through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that gate. But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it. (Matthew 7:13-14, CEV)

The passage comes from Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount”, as it is called. (Luke has a comparable passage to this.) Does Jesus actually intend his words to be taken seriously by me and you? A little further on in the same chapter we read:

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!” (Matthew 7:24-27, NRSV)

That looks serious enough, surely. The images convey an awful finality. This is vital. The picture seems crystal clear - heeding Jesus the Lord is critically important.
What does he mean by “destruction” and “fall”? Was Jesus indicating the need to pay him heed and do really well rather than find a disaster, and a disaster without remedy at that? How could that be? Is this then simply exaggeration or oriental hyperbole or pictorial over-statement (eg, a camel passing through a needle's eye)?  It is hazardous, even foolish, to rely on that “let out”.
But - what about those to whom Jesus’ words have not come, for them to have opportunity to act upon them? Surely this passage is not directed to them! Who is it for? Originally Jesus of course spoke to his own people, those to whom he had come, as we read in this analysis:

He came into his own world,
but his own nation did not welcome him.
Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him.
So he gave them the right to be the children of God.
They were not God’s children by nature
or because of any human desires.
God himself was the one who made them his children. (John 1:11-13, CEV)

These were the people who were part of a deliberate community by choice based on God’s Word. Even if they lived under under various rulers they supremely acknowledged the one Law of God (referred to as “Moses”). They thought of themselves as the chosen people (of God).
The impression of the Gospels is that Jesus in his ministry had little contact with the non-Jewish population and rarely ventured far outside Judaea-Galilee. However, we do have clear indication of Jesus’ intention for the world, for such as you and I:

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (John 10:14-16, NIV)

Please notice the other sheep to listen to that voice and the other pen. Similarly, we have the classic statement:

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NLT)

The world in view, and everyone may believe in him.
And from after the resurrection:

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”[d] (Matthew 28:18-20, NRSV)

“All nations” certainly includes us.
I think it is clear that Jesus had us in view; he wanted us. (The outworking of his plan was not without soul-searching, as can be seen in the NT documents following the Gospels.) Us also in view? Then you and I also are called on to take the route to life and shun the route to destruction; to act on what Jesus says, not be foolish. In other words the teaching is directed to you, who have heard. (And to me.) Incidentally, the "Jesus stuff" you “hear” from mass media, or social media, or bloggers (!!), or otherwise, may be useful - or not! There is no “quality control”. The vital thing is to read, or listen to, the records for yourself.

Jesus’ hearers had, and have, every reason to also become, and be, confident. Matthew records that option right there in that same location:

 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. (Matthew 7: 7-11, NLT)

This is pictorial language but we have probably no need for explanation.  (Ask whom? Seek from whence? Knock on what?) The NLT version does add interpretation but Jesus’ assertion of God’s active goodness towards us is very clear - God is always accessible. God will be the heavenly parent you need, if you will trust him. Does this seem more acceptable or comfortable than the preceding? Please note that the receiving, the finding, the entry, still are conditional on asking, seeking, knocking. God knows.

The invitation from Jesus appears in different forms and contexts. He said to his listeners:

If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke[a] I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30, CEV)

Working animals (oxen) were/are yoked together, neck to neck, with a cross beam (yoke) and the yoke connected to the load or task. Jesus offers a “yoke” to life with him and freedom from rebellion against God and the consequences due.

No doubt Jesus was addressing people worn out by the heavy burdens of religion and finding no internal peace. Genuine strugglers found it so hard to earn the (impossible) ticket to heaven. Their problem was added to by those who might have helped. See for example this advice and trenchant criticism Jesus gave in the last days of his ministry.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are experts in the Law of Moses. So obey everything they teach you, but don’t do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else. They pile heavy burdens on people’s shoulders and won’t lift a finger to help.  (Matthew 23:2-4, CEV.)

You may know of current examples from our time.
The people to whom Jesus spoke would soon have relief from the burden of rule-keeping for salvation. He was about the pay the price to set them, and us, free. Moreover, every single one of his followers thereafter would have the only authorised interpreter at their side constantly. (That is another story I think!)

What Jesus said (and did) does contain imagery and comparisons which provide food for thought. The way to get to grips with Jesus’ teaching is of course to read the Gospels. Further insight into the message is available in the NT pages following the Gospels. (My post on a NT reading plan may be one way to do this.)

Not all of what Jesus said (ie, directed) is popular. (Why would it be?) Then keep the good bits? Is it really reasonable to expect to be able to pick and choose from the record? To extract “acceptable” teaching from Jesus? He is the light for the world, as John explained in his first chapter and as Jesus later stated himself:

Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” (John 8:12, CEV)

Some people (at least some) did not welcome that claim. One final time Jesus gave his invitation:

Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. (John 12:35-36, NIV)

The coming of that light had been spoken of in the words of Isaiah (OT prophet):

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
    the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people dwelling in darkness
    have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
    on them a light has dawned.”
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:15-17, ESV)

And that last line has a brief encapsulation of Jesus’ teaching, very brief! The focus, very strong in Matthew, is the “Kingdom of Heaven”. Interestingly, cousin John ("the Baptiser") is reported earlier in the same words. However, there is more, much more, from Jesus. To unpack a little: How to enter God’s kingdom; what it means to live in the kingdom now; the will of the King for his subjects; the removal of the impenetrable border to the kingdom; the benefits of the kingdom; the ultimate revealing of the kingdom; threats to the subjects of the King; and the King of the kingdom. From that point in the account Jesus is shown heralding the news to those who stood in the line of the ancient people of God. It should have been good news.

ADDENDUM: Jesus proclaimed the imperative, "repent". The CEV renders "turn back to God". Was it right for Jesus to command them? After all, were not the daily sacrifices being offered as required? Did they not have their local synagogue to attend? Were they not God's own people? Today does Jesus actually command me and you to change our life (Petersen; The Message) and join his subjects? I have no doubt about the answer to that!


Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
 
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.