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The Gospel of Luke Chapter 6:1-26 The Sabbath Day 6:1 Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples picked some heads of wheat, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. The original text identified this Sabbath as ‘the second Sabbath after the first’. Since the Jewish year began at Passover, many commentators take this to mean that this was the Sabbath after that of Passover. This may be significant, as it indicates that the first grain had already been cut and waved as an offering to God (see Lev. 23:1-16). The translator of the NET (above) leaves the ambiguity out altogether, because the main point of this story is that it was on a Sabbath day that Jesus’ hungry disciples walked through cornfields and plucked off the heads of grain (not necessarily wheat as NET above– it is more likely, at that time of year, to have been barley). They rubbed them in their hands to clean off the husks and ate them. Luke shows an astute awareness of Jewish customs, since if Jesus’ disciples had eaten the grain before the wave offering was made, the issue would have been their breaking the commandment of Lev. 23:14. 6:2 But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?" It seems that some of the Pharisees were forever beleaguering Jesus; when they saw what the disciples did they accused them of breaking the law about working on the Sabbath by rubbing the corn in their hands (Exodus 20: 10). 6:3-4 Jesus answered them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry - how he entered the house of God, took and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for any to eat but the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?" Jesus answered them by reference to an event from Israel’s history. When David and those with him became hungry, they entered the tabernacle and ate the showbread, which only the priests were allowed to eat (1 Sam. 21:1-6; Lev. 24:5-9). The law of God taking care of his children overruled the ceremonial law in this instance. 6:5 Then he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
As the Son of Man, Jesus is Lord and Creator of the Sabbath, and can overrule its laws for the sake of good whenever he wishes (Mark 2:27-28). 6:6 On another Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and was teaching. Now a man was there whose right hand was withered. The subject of Sabbath continues, as on another Sabbath Day Jesus entered a synagogue to teach. Here Luke draws our attention to a man with a withered hand. 6:7 The experts in the law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a reason to accuse him. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him very closely to see if He would heal this man's hand, not because they wanted to see a miracle but because they were looking for a reason to accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath so that they might discredit him. 6:8 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Get up and stand here." So he rose and stood there. Jesus knew and understood the critical thoughts of the Pharisees, and used the opportunity once again to patiently teach them. He called to the man with the withered hand to stand before the whole synagogue congregation. 6:9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?" Addressing his critics, Jesus asked if it were lawful on the Sabbath Day to do good or evil, to save a life or destroy it; a direct appeal for them to soften to their hardened hearts. 6:10 After looking around at them all, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." The man did so, and his hand was restored. According to Mark, Jesus looked at his opponents with anger because of their hard hearts (Mark 3:5). He told the man to stretch out his hand and as he did so it was completely healed as good as the other. 6:11 But they were filled with mindless rage and began debating with one another what they would do to Jesus. At this Jesus' enemies were wild with rage and began to discuss what malicious thing they could do to get back at Jesus.
Choosing the Twelve Disciples 6:12 Now it was during this time that Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God. It was while Jesus was still in the region of Galilee that he went up into a nearby mountain to be alone to pray. He spent the whole night in prayer concerning the choosing of the twelve men that would be His apostles.
6:13 When morning came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles. When the day came He went down and called the whole company of His disciples to Him and from among those He choose twelve and called them apostles, which literally means "sent ones". Notice that so far he is still up the mountain, just as God called Moses up to the mountain of Sinai. This allusion may be meant to depict Jesus as the sent one of God, like Moses, the apostle of our faith, who commissions and sends his apostles. 6:14-16 Simon (whom he named Peter), and his brother Andrew; and James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot. Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. They were: Simon who He also called Peter (a rock); Andrew his brother (Andreas, manly); the brothers James (from Jacob) and John; Philip and Bartholomew (thought to be also known as Nathanael); Matthew (also called Levi); Thomas (the twin also had the name Didymus); James the son of Alphaeus (sometimes called James the less); Simon the Canaanite (who belonged to a group of Jewish fanatics called Zealots); Judas the brother of James the less (also called Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus) and finally Judas Iscariot who became the traitor who betrayed Jesus. You will have noticed that they are all named in pairs for Jesus would later send them out two by two (Matt. 6:7). 6:17-18 Then he came down with them and stood on a level place. And a large number of his disciples had gathered along with a vast multitude from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those who suffered from unclean spirits were cured. When Jesus came down from the mountain with the twelve disciples they came to a large plain where a large crowd of other disciples had gathered, together with a huge number of people from all over Judea, Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. These people had come to hear Jesus’ teaching and to be healed of their diseases; all those who were tormented by evil spirits were delivered. 6:19 The whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing them all. Everybody pressed closer to touch Jesus to receive the healing power which was flowing out from him and healing them all.
Jesus Teaches His Disciples 6:20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God belongs to you. At this time, having healed them all, Jesus fixed his gaze on his disciples and began to teach them. Blessed or happy are those who recognise their spiritual poverty (not just the poor in terms of this world’s goods); for they are receptive to the things which belong to the kingdom of God which are given freely through the Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 3:1).
6:21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed, happy are those who hunger after righteousness, spiritual things, for God, for they will be fully satisfied with spiritual food through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Blessed, happy are those who weep for their sins, or because they suffer persecution or affliction for they shall know God’s comfort and presence in the present time as well as joy unspeakable and pleasures for evermore in heaven (Psalm 16:11). 6:22 Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil on account of the Son of Man! Blessed, happy are those who are hated, despised, insulted and slandered because they belong to Jesus Christ. 6:23 Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors did the same things to the prophets. At such times rejoice and leap for joy, for your reward in heaven will be great. The prophets of past days were treated in exactly the same way, and you are part of the same family group – God’s people. 6:24 But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort already. There were not only faithful disciples in the crowd, so Jesus turned his attention to those who—like the Pharisees and scribes—would refuse to hear his teaching. Those who are rich, self-righteous and self-satisfied, and do not think that they need God in their lives; all they will receive is the temporal comforts of their present life. Woe to you, says Jesus, meaning great sorrow awaits them. 6:25 Woe to you who are well satisfied with food now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Terrible sorrow awaits those who are full, whose hunger is satisfied now, if at the same time they have no realization of their need of God. They shall know a hunger that will never be satisfied in hell. Those who laugh and make merry now without thought toward God shall know a grief and sorrow that no amount of bewailing and crying will relieve. 6:26 Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets. How terrible it will be for those about whom people say only nice things; that is a sign that we are not living in a way which disturbs them, and those who live in holiness should disturb those who live in sin. Sinners will love those (like the false prophets) who say what pleases them rather than declare the truth of God (2 Timothy 3:12). © Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett 2013 Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word” Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org