14-20 September 2026 (Genesis, Exodus, Luke, Psalms)
Bible Reading Plan
Monday: Genesis 48:1-50:26
Tuesday: Exodus 1:1-2:10
Wednesday: Luke 1:1-80
Thursday: Luke 2:1-52
Friday: Reflection Day
Fluid (fit in any time) Psalm 12:1-8
Reflection and Discussion Questions
Monday (Day 1): Genesis 48:1-50:26
Does Jacob’s account of blessing Joseph’s two sons remind you of his own father’s blessing of himself and Esau? Why or why not?
Who received the greater blessing, Ephraim or Manasseh?
Which brother (or tribe) appears to receive the greatest blessing from Israel?
Why do you think Reuben was cursed for his adulterous act (Gen 35:22) but Judah was not for sleeping with Tamar?
Where was Jacob buried?
Were Joseph’s brothers concerned about what Joseph would do to them when their father died?
Did Joseph live longer than his father?
Do you Genesis illustrates God’s people as a picture of righteousness or an illustration of humanity? Is it about what should be or what could be? The good and the bad. Thoughts?
Tuesday (Day 2): Exodus 1:1-2:10
After the fortune Pharaoh had from Joseph’s prophecy in interpreting his dream, and the blessing from Jacob (cf. Gen 47:10) why would the new king of Egypt behave so poorly against the Israelites?
Why did the midwives not follow the orders of the king in Exodus 1:15-16?
Do you think the excuse they gave Pharaoh was wise or believable?
Did God curse the midwives for their lies to Pharaoh? Do you think life sometimes requires you to think of the greater good rather than never doing anything that could be considered disingenuous or wrong? How should one decide how to act if in a place where there is not a perfect honest solution?
What were Pharaoh’s three plans in Exodus 1 to restrain their strength and numbers?
What did Moses’ mother, Jochebed, place Moses in before placing him in the Nile?
What would it feel like placing your own or other people’s babies in the Nile?
What does the name, “Moses” mean?
Do you think for many of us it is easier to make a decision, deciding a cost others must pay or burden others must endure, than it is to watch individuals endure that suffering and do nothing?
Wednesday (Day 3): Luke 1:1-80
Luke gave an official preface in his Gospel. Was Luke considered an educated man? Are Luke’s Gospel and Acts considered to be reliable?
Do you think that Luke was the first Gospel written? Why or why not?
Luke 1:10 lets the reader in on the fact that a prayer was made by Zechariah, and that prayer had been answered in the birth of his son, John. We see this in other OT cases (e.g. Isaac, Gen. 25; Rachel Gen. 40; and Hannah, 1 Sam. 1). Prayer is an important theme in Luke. Black (1995) offers the following supplemental study on prayer in Luke-Acts:
Only Luke (among the Gospel writers) records that Jesus was praying immediately after his baptism when the Spirit descended upon him.19 The frequent prayers of Jesus are a constant refrain in Luke, as Jesus is at prayer at all of the major events in his life (baptism, choosing disciples, great confession, transfiguration, Gethsemane, and on the cross) and at many other times.
Not surprisingly, volume two (Acts) shows the early church constantly at prayer, especially at momentous events (choosing a replacement for Judas, Pentecost, the imprisonment of Peter, and at times of evangelistic endeavors, such as the conversion of Cornelius and Paul’s journeys, etc.) What regularly happens in Luke-Acts when Jesus and his followers pray is that God reveals his will and gives courage and comfort. There is also a very obvious link in Luke-Acts between prayer and reception of God’s Spirit. Examples are here in the baptism of Jesus, before Pentecost (Acts 1:8, 14), and at Samaria (Acts 8:15). The promise of Jesus in Luke 11:13 makes the connection plain: “… how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Other significant prayer texts in Luke-Acts are Luke 1:10; 11:1–13; 18:1–14; 22:32; Acts 2:42; 4:31; 6:4; 10:2–9; 12:12.[3]
Which Herod was mentioned in Luke 1:5?
What do you find interesting about the passage regarding the prediction of John the Baptist’s birth (cf. Luke 1:5-25)?
How did John the Baptist act “in spirit and power” like Elijah? (cf. 1 Kgs 17-19, 21; 2 Kgs 1:1-2:18; Malachi 4:4-6)
What are your thoughts on Elizabeth’s actions and words in 1:24-25?
Go through the individual verses of Lk. 1:31-33 and write a brief comment on each of those verses, noting what you think is important in each of these verses.
Do you think it was appropriate for Mary to refer to herself as “the Lord’s female slave”? Why or why not?
Who did Mary stay with for about three months, and returned to her home? Does this remind the audience that she was only betrothed, not married?
Did people expect John (the Baptist) to be great? Why?
What does Luke 1:80 mean when it states, “the child kept growing and becoming strong in spirit [emphasis added]”?
What parts of Luke 1 did you find spoke to you, or seemed particularly interesting or relatable?
Thursday (Day 4): Luke 2:1-52
Green (1997) comments, “The registration of “all the world” asserts Augustus’s sovereignty over that world. Yet the birth of Jesus, God’s Son (1:35), is made known not to the Emperor or even to the Syrian governor, Quirinius, but to peasant shepherds. With the birth of Jesus, the powerful are already being brought down, while the lowly are lifted up (cf. 1:52).[2]
What does this say to you about God’s perception(s) and/or understanding of reality in comparison to our own as humans?
What town did Mary and Joseph go to register? Why?
Where did Mary give birth to Jesus?
The birth of Jesus shows a humble beginning. How do you think this is relevant to His story, role and mission? (cf. Lk 1:7)
When are male infants traditionally circumcised? When did this tradition start?
Who was Simeon?
What does Luke 2:32 say? Was Luke showing the way for the Gentiles as well as the Jews? Was this what the Jews were likely expecting?
Have you noticed a frequent reference to the Holy Spirit in the early chapters of Luke?
If you have some bible software (e.g. Logos) look at the references to “Spirit” in the comparative gospels. Does Luke speak more about the Holy Spirit than the other Gospel authors?
Luke 2:51 states, “And his mother treasured all these things in her heart.” Remembering Luke’s words 2:19, what statement is Luke looking to make about Mary?
Did the people realise the wisdom and strength of Christ when he was younger, or was it just God? (cf. Lk 2:52)
Psalm 12:1-8
What are your thoughts on Psalm 12?
Has this feeling ever resonated with you?
How are we best to work together in realisation of other’s dispair and maltreatment?
LXX Septuagint, Greek translation of Hebrew OT
37 Cf. v 50—the unspecified “those who fear him”; the description of Israel as God’s “servant” in v 54, recalling Israel’s special place among the nations as God’s presence to the nations; and v 55—with the mention of Abraham, whose descendants would be innumerable.
38 Attempts to find in v 51 a moral revolution, v 52 a political revolution, and v 53 a social revolution (Dupont, “Magnificat”) are tempting but anachronistic, for such distinct categories would have been unknown in antiquity. Indeed, the effect of the structural parallelism of these poetic lines is to remind us how interrelated these realities were and are.
39 See Exod 6:1, 6; 15:16; Deut 3:24; 7:19; 33:27; Pss 78:10; 88:10; 97:1; Isa 26:11; 40:10; 51:9–10; 52:10; 65:12; et al.; Schlier, “βραχίων.”
40 See Green, “Good News”; Moxnes, Economy of the Kingdom.
41 See Bede, Homilies, 1:30: “Now because the human race had perished at the touch of the plague of pride, it was proper that the time of salvation should first begin with the putting forward of the medicine of humility by which it might be healed.” In proclaiming the reversal motif, Mary’s Song echoes a long-standing affirmation of God’s work; cf., e.g., 1 Sam 2:7–8; Job 5:8–11; Isa 2:11; 5:15–16; Sir 10:14.
[1] Green, J. B. (1997). The Gospel of Luke (pp. 104–105). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[2] Green, J. B. (1997). The Gospel of Luke (p. 121). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
19 The Spirit descends “in bodily form like a dove,” stressing that the Spirit was somehow visible as it descended like a dove. Luke probably suggests that the Holy Spirit took on the appearance of a dove, but the language does not demand it.
[3] Black, M. C. (1995). Luke (Lk 3:21–38). College Press Pub.
References
Bailey, R. C. (2007). Exodus. College Press Publishing Company.
Black, M. C. (1995). Luke. College Press Pub.
Edwards, J. R. (2015). The Gospel according to Luke (D. A. Carson, Ed.). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Green, J. B. (1997). The Gospel of Luke. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Janzen, W. (2000). Exodus. Herald Press.
Kissling, P. (2009). Genesis (Vol. 2). College Press Publishing Company.
Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1). United Bible Societies.
Mackay, J. L. (2001). Exodus. Mentor.
Pink, A. W. (1962). Gleanings in Exodus. Moody Press.
