Luke 6

Text

The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 49 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:

• Papyrus 4 (AD 150–175; extant verses: 1–16){{Cite book
• Papyrus 75 (175–225)
• Codex Vaticanus (325–350)
• Codex Sinaiticus (330–360)
• Codex Bezae (~400)
• Codex Washingtonianus (~400)
• Codex Alexandrinus (400–440)
• Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (~450)

The Sabbath conflict (verses 1–11)

Luke relates two events which relate to Jesus' actions on the Sabbath and the differences between his teaching and that of the Pharisees regarding the significance of the sabbath day. These events lead to a widening conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities.

Lord of the Sabbath

Main article: Lord of the Sabbath

This story is told in the synoptic gospels (, , ). Jesus' disciples are accused of breaking the Law () by the Jewish authorities who see them pluck wheat, rub it and eat it during the Sabbath. Jesus invites his audience to recall the actions of David and his men who when hungry received the showbread (). Jesus indicates that he, the Son of Man, is the Lord of the Sabbath. Mark's text on the purpose of the Sabbath, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath, is not repeated in Luke.

Verse 1

:One Sabbath day Jesus was walking through the grainfields. His disciples began to break off some heads of grain. They rubbed them in their hands and ate them.

Luke places the event at a specific date: (en sabbatō deuteroprōtō), translated in the King James Version as "on the second Sabbath after the first". This phrase is not found elsewhere in the New Testament, Evangelical writer Jeremy Myers suggests this could have been the day of Shavuot (Festival of Weeks), which would give the action of Jesus an added significance. Only the priests were allowed to collect wheat and process it on the Sabbath to bake the showbread (which they could eat). Jesus extends this privilege to his disciples: in essence, in his teaching, priesthood is open to all. This action represents a radical departure from traditional ways and structures, and undermines the special status of the priests. In walking through the grainfields, Ambrose observes that Jesus' "very practice and mode of action" represent the absolution of his followers from the duty to follow the old law.

Verse 2

:But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?" F. W. Farrar, in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, refers to "spy-Pharisees", a group who "dogged [Jesus'] steps as his ministry advanced". He thinks their initial plan might have been to see how far Jesus and his disciples walked, given the 2000 cubit rule which regulated travel on the Sabbath.

Insertion after verse 4

The Codex Bezae Cantabrigiensis manuscript contains an additional verse which the Jerusalem Bible calls "interesting, but probably spurious": :When on the same day he saw a man doing work on the sabbath, he said to him: "Man! If you know what you are doing, you are blessed! But if you do not know it, you are accursed and a transgressor of the law." The reference to knowledge suggests that this verse might reflect gnostic influence.

The healing on the Sabbath

Main article: Healing the man with a withered hand

The story is told in the synoptic gospels (, , ). In a synagogue, Jesus calls forward a man with a withered hand on a Sabbath. The synagogue was possibly the one in Capernaum, but many commentators argue that "it is impossible to say where the synagogue was to which [the] Pharisees belonged". Healing him by the verbal command: "Stretch forth thy hand", Jesus challenges the priestly authorities. They do not argue with him directly, but are "filled with anger" (verse 11 in the New Life Version, NLV). On the Sabbath they begin to plot against Jesus, ignoring his question: "I will ask you one thing. Does the Law say to do good on the Day of Rest or to do bad? To save life or to kill?" (NLV).

The choosing of the twelve apostles (verses 12–16)

Main article: Commissioning of the twelve apostles

After retreating in prayer on a mountain, Jesus chooses twelve apostles, according to Luke (): :Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Jesus' habit of spending time in prayer is mentioned several times in Luke: 3:21, 5:15, here, 9:18, 9:29, and 22:41. The commissioning of the Twelve is also recounted in and .

The Sermon on the Plain (verses 17–49)

Main article: Sermon on the Plain

The commissioning of the twelve apostles is followed by the portrayal of a multitude gathered from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, and then by a sermon that lays down key aspects of Jesus' teachings. In the parallel section of Matthew's gospel, the crowds are said to have come from Galilee, and from the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. Mark's description is the most extensive of the three synoptic gospels: "a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon". Farrar concludes "thus there were Jews, Greeks, Phoenicians, and Arabs among our Lord’s hearers".

The four beatitudes and the four woes (verses 20–26)

The sermon starts with a set of teachings about the four beatitudes and the four woes. The sermon may be compared with the more extensive Sermon on the Mount as recounted by the Gospel of Matthew. Both seem to occur shortly after the commissioning of the twelve apostles featuring Jesus on a mountain. In Luke, he delivers the sermon below the mountain at a level spot: Lutheran theologian Johann Bengel suggests perhaps half-way down the mountain: "a more suitable locality for addressing a large audience than a completely level plain". Some scholars believe that the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain are the same sermon, while others hold that Jesus frequently preached similar themes in different places. Luke will later relate the six woes of the Pharisees (Luke 11:37–44).

{{Anchor|Verses 27–36}}Love thy enemies (verses 27–36)

Main article: Love thy enemies, Turning the other cheek

As a key teaching of Jesus, this saying follows immediately after the four beatitudes and woes. Jesus expands on the theme indicating that loving people who love you is nothing special, instead he challenges his listeners to love those who hate them, and asks his followers to be merciful like the Father. The section also contains what is considered the Golden Rule.

Verses 35–6

"The ungrateful and the evil", or "the unthankful" and "the immoral". The base of the coffee and cocoa cups used by the [In-N-Out Burger chain has the text "Luke 6:35", which refers to this verse.

Justice & sincerity, 37–42

Judging others, 37–8

Main article: Matthew 7:2, The Mote and the Beam

Jesus delivers a warning not to judge others.

The blind leading the blind, 39–40

Main article: The blind leading the blind

This metaphor issues a warning that teaching needs to be done by leaders who are properly trained. It is also reported in .

A speck of sawdust, 41–2

Main article: The Mote and the Beam, The pot calling the kettle black

Jesus rebukes those who see faults in others and fail to examine themselves. Matthew relates the teaching as well ().

The tree and its fruit (verses 43–45)

Main article: The Tree and its Fruits

Jesus offers a parable about testing a person. It is also related in .

The wise and foolish builders (verses 46–49)

Main article: Parable of the Wise and the Foolish Builders

This represents a teaching about placing one's life on the solid foundation provided by Jesus. It is also noted in .

References

References

1. Jerusalem Bible (1966), "Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels", New Testament p. 5
2. {{bibleverse. Mark. 2:27. NKJV
3. Franklin, E., ''Luke'' in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), [https://b-ok.org/dl/946961/8f5f43 The Oxford Bible Commentary], p. 934
4. {{bibleverse. Luke. 6:1. NIRV: [[New International Reader's Version]]. This translation omits reference to "the second Sabbath after the first".
5. {{bibleverse. Luke. 6:1. TR1550 [[Textus Receptus]]
6. and it is omitted in some ancient manuscripts, the [[New International Version]] and some other modern versions.{{bibleverse. Luke. 6:1. NIV: NIV
7. Jeremy Myers. "What's on Second? Who's on First? Deuteroprōtō in Luke 6:1". J. D. Myers.
8. Ambrose, quoted by [[Thomas Aquinas]] in [https://archive.org/details/a6788682p103thomuoft/page/196/mode/2up Catena aurea: commentary on the four Gospels, collected out of the works of the fathers], Luke, Part 1, p. 197, edited by [[John Henry Newman]], Oxford, 1841, accessed on 9 April 2025
9. {{bibleverse. Luke. 6:2. ESV: [[English Standard Version]]
10. Jerusalem Bible (1966), footnote a at Luke 6:5
11. McDonald, T. L., [https://www.ncregister.com/blog/are-there-lost-sayings-of-jesus Are There "Lost Sayings" Of Jesus?], ''National Catholic Register'', published 1 June 2016, accessed 6 September 2023
12. [[John Gill (theologian). Gill, J.]] (1746–63), [https://biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/luke/6.htm Gill's Exposition] on Luke 6, accessed 30 December 2021
13. [[Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer. Meyer, H. A. W.]] (1880), [https://biblehub.com/commentaries/meyer/luke/6.htm Meyer's NT Commentary] on Luke 6, translated from the German sixth edition, accessed on 30 December 2021
14. Meyer, H. A. W. (1880), [https://biblehub.com/commentaries/meyer/luke/5.htm Meyer's NT Commentary] on Luke 5, translated from the German sixth edition, accessed 2 September 2023
15. {{bibleverse. Luke. 6:17. NKJV
16. {{bibleverse. Matthew. 4:25. NKJV
17. {{bibleverse. Mark. 3:7–8. NKJV: NKJV
18. Farrar, F. W. (1891), [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/luke/6.htm Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges] on Luke 6, accessed on 4 June 2018
19. Bengel, [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/bengel/luke/6.htm Gnomon of the New Testament] on Luke 6, accessed 4 June 2018
20. Ehrman 2004, p. 101
21. {{bibleverse. Luke. 6:20–3. KJV: KJV
22. {{bibleverse. Luke. 6:35. ESV: [[English Standard Version. ESV]]
23. Note on Luke 6:35 in [[New English Translation. NET Bible]]
24. Hunter, Paul. (29 July 2022). "Why does In-N-Out Burger put Bible verses on their packaging?". That Oregon Life.