Chapter 6 of Luke’s Gospel appears at first to be a hodgepodge of unrelated events.  They are, however, very closely connected.  What we find is how the controversy between the Lord and the Jewish leaders deepens. We learn about the Sabbath-controversy that became a major point of contention between Jesus and the Jews. Christ is now entering into a deep crisis with the Jewish leaders, a crisis that will end at Calvary.

We find in this chapter many elements known from “The sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-6, the centre-piece of Christ’s teaching in Galilee). It does appear that in this context blessing and woes are much more pronounced, which further illustrates the deepening conflict. Christ appoints his twelve apostles. The teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven is coming powerfully to the fore. Christ is still in Galilee at this point, but as the Galileans reject him, he begins to broaden his horizon. Judea and Jerusalem will soon come into view.

The Lord Jesus and the Sabbath (Luke 6:1-11)⤒🔗

¹One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.  ²Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

³Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ⁴He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

⁶On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled.  ⁷The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.  ⁸But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

⁹Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

¹⁰He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored.  ¹¹But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.Luke 6:1-11

Jesus and the Sabbath←⤒🔗

Our Lord had already at this point performed some miracles of healing in the synagogue (4:31, a person possessed by a demon), and the mother of Simon (4:38, not in the synagogue but perhaps on a Sabbath).  The time and place of these healings were not yet a major point of difference.

That changes in the accounts given by Luke in chapter 6. One exchange takes place in the field and the other in the synagogue. This is not really about whether the Sabbath should be kept or not, but rather what is and is not allowed on the Sabbath. So Luke is telling us not about the 4^th commandment (to keep the Sabbath) but about the rules that the Pharisees and teachers had made with respect to the Sabbath.

The Sabbath, which was festive in origin and had as purpose the physical and spiritual restoration of God’s children, had become a burden which tied people down in a stifling set of rules and regulations. It was no longer a blessed and joyful day. You can imagine that in this setting people watched their neighbors to see if anyone broke the Sabbath rules. All this is rather stressful.

Jesus and his disciples were walking through the grain fields, on a Sabbath, perhaps having attended synagogue or on the road to a synagogue. I mention this because for our Lord the focal point on the Sabbath was always the synagogue where the word of God was preached. The Lord Jesus fully maintained his attendance of the synagogue’s services. As they were going along, the disciples of Jesus “began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels” (6:1). Most explainers think that wheat or barley was meant, barley especially because it was the poor man’s food.

The disciples were hungry and the grain was available in plenty. So they picked some grain as they were moving along, rubbed the grain together to remove the chaff, and ate. But the Pharisees who were also tagging along, saw this, and immediately asked “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” (6:2)

You see, the point was that picking grain was regarded as harvesting, something simply not done on the Sabbath.  Why, if this was allowed it would be a slippery slope! Soon people would come with their scythes and start cutting grain. The disciples are doing what is wrong and should be immediately reprimanded.

In the Law of God, given by Moses, it was made clear that anyone going through a neighbor’s vineyard or field was allowed to eat from the grapes and pluck kernels with his hand. But you were not allowed to take grapes in a basket or cut the grain with a scythe. The food was for picking as you walked through, just enough to be strengthened (Deuteronomy 23:24, 25). There is great compassion in the Law that Moses gives.

Notice therefore that our Lord does not say that the apostles did right or wrong. He goes beyond the Pharisaic Talmudic laws, and comes with a message from Scripture. He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” (6:3,4)

What is the Lord saying? Is it okay to break the law when there is need? May someone who is hungry rob a bakery? Of course not. David was the anointed king of the Lord, and he and his men needed food. And so they ate from these old and dried loaves, certainly not a sumptuous meal. Get the food and go! David himself took the bread and brought these outside to share with his men. The bread for the LORD was also for his anointed king, when needed. The letter of the law may have been transgressed, but the spirit of the law functioned to energize and restore David and his men.

I generally do not like distinctions made between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. This tactic is sometimes used to promote pernicious and shady dealings. And it is true that the law must be applied with understanding and discretion. But the point is: as Anointed King David has duties and rights that allow him to partake of things not normally eaten by others. I remain convinced that David did not see his action as sinful but as an avenue opened by God.

In Luke 6:5 it says, “Then Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” I find this one of the most intriguing passages in the New Testament. Let us consider that Jesus does not say that the Sabbath is now unimportant, perhaps abrogated. It is fully in force. But he says: the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

What does this mean? Being Lord over something means this person has full authority over it. It means that Jesus determines what may or may not happen on the Sabbath. He will restore it to its original character and glory. Mark adds that Jesus also said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27,28) The Lord restores to Israel a day that was meant for rest from daily work so that God’s people could focus on God and enjoy his marvellous creation.

The Man with the Shriveled Hand (6:6-11)←⤒🔗

What happens next does bring the matter of the Sabbath into a real crisis. We read that “on another Sabbath he went into a synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled” (6:6). The text does not give us any details about this man and his illness. We do not know if the man was there as usual or by exception. Perhaps it was a set-up.  Please note that the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were there also to see if the Lord would in any way transgress their version of the Sabbath law(s).

The Lord Jesus did not ignore the provocation. He meets it squarely and fairly. He actually brings the matter to a head by requesting the man to come forward and to stand before everyone. I suggest that after the ruckus of the man coming forward, it will have become very quiet in that synagogue. The Pharisees were watching Jesus very closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. It appears that Jesus will accommodate them.

But note that Jesus first asks a question. In this way he involves everyone in the synagogue. The question is, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” (6:9) Note also that nobody answered. In his account of the Gospel, Mark states this very clearly: “But they remained silent.” (Mark 3:4) No one wanted to get involved in this issue. It is obvious that this man does not stand a chance to be healed if it depends on his fellow citizens. Luke tells us that the Lord looked around at them all (6:10). I understand this to mean: he looked everyone in the eye. They must have flinched at his penetrating glance. Mark adds that Jesus looked around at them “in anger, and deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts” (Mark 3:5). They knew what he was going to do and why he would do it. But they remained stone-cold hard.

Our Lord then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand”. It was a simple command so that the power of Christ’s Word would be manifest. We read that the man’s hand was completely restored. Anyone who has a hand injury knows what this means. It is amazing to have complete control over a useable hand without pain and frustration.

One would almost expect everyone in the synagogue to be filled with joy at the healing of this man. But such is not the case. We read in verse 11, “But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.”

The die has been cast, as it were. Over a withered hand made healthy? No, it was because Jesus manifested himself as the Holy One of God, the true Messiah of Israel, who is also Lord of the Sabbath. From here on the opposition of the Jewish leaders will become more organized and dangerous.

Doctrinal Certainties←⤒🔗

The Lord Jesus shows that he is the Lord of the Sabbath and that the Sabbath is to be a day of joy for God’s people and a day of glory for God. The question is not about whether we have to “remember the Sabbath” but what we should or should not do on the Sabbath. Time and again the church must deal with libertinism, on the one hand (unlimited freedom) and ritualism (rigorous formal keeping of the Sabbath) on the other hand. What is the best way to maintain the Sabbath? The faithful attending of church services is an important matter; “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)

We do believe that through Christ’s resurrection the Sabbath has become “the Day of the Lord”, which is the first day of the week. This change was not sudden, but came over a period of time. By the second century the Christian churches had moved the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday, the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week. In 321 Emperor Constantine declared the Sunday to be the official day of worship. The term “the Lord’s Day” is first found in Revelation 1:10. Many believe this to be a term which identifies the main day of worship in the Christian church to be the Sunday.

The Heidelberg Catechism speaks about the day of rest in Lord’s Day 38 (when dealing with the fourth commandment). The Catechism first explains what must be done on the day of rest, especially attending the church of God, and also blends in the matter of resting from evil works, the beginning of the eternal Sabbath (Hebrews 4:9).

Homiletical Horizons←↰⤒🔗

When speaking about Jesus as being the Lord of the Sabbath and the development from Sabbath to Sunday, it is important to stress that both Sabbath and Sunday were days that God gave to his people so that they would have ample time for his service and glory. The Sunday is in many ways the continuation of the Sabbath. It is still a matter of discussion whether the Sunday was instituted immediately after God finished his work of creation or much later. It seems to me that the Genesis account is clear that the Sabbath was instituted at that time to mark God’s completion of his work (Genesis 2:1-3).

There is nowhere a command that we must attend church twice each Sunday, as has been the practice in the Reformed Churches. Increasingly that practice is being challenged. The times have changed and many feel that the Sunday must be re-evaluated and adapted to modern tastes and trends. The result of this is generally that the second service gradually disappears. Often attempts are made to make the second service on Sunday different or more relevant in content and purpose, for example a teaching (catechetical) service involving children and young people more. These attempts should not be easily dismissed if their purpose is to keep the Sunday holy as Day of the Lord. Neither are these attempts always successful.

The Choosing of the Twelve Apostles (6:12-16)←⤒🔗

¹²One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. ¹³When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: ¹⁴Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, ¹⁵Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, ¹⁶Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Luke 6:12-16

As the Lord Jesus faces the growing resistance of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, he also takes some steps important for the future of his church. There needs to be some internal organization. Therefore Christ appoints 12 disciples to be his apostles. The function of these apostles is unique; it is a one-time office.

Mark gives us a few more details about the purpose of this office, “designating them apostles – that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.” (Mark 3:13-15) The apostles will be eyewitnesses of Christ’s words and works and thus be able to testify of the Lord’s ministry, his death and resurrection (see also Acts 1:21, 22).

It is important to note that Christ, before make the final decision, first goes up to a mountainside alone and spends the night praying to God (6:12). This prayer is undoubtedly a prayer for wisdom so that the right men can be chosen. Christ needed prayer and thrived in the communion with his Father. In today’s situation the congregation first asks for God’s help and blessing before electing office bearers. The word “apostle” designates someone who is sent out with a special commission and official spokesman.

Then follows the list of the apostles: Simon (Peter), Andrew (Peter’s brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (the son of Alpheus), Simon, who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

This is really an unlikely group of persons to be apostles. They were unschooled men, quick to doubt, and easy to disperse. The order in which they are listed here does not denote a certain ranking or succession but rather the order in which they were called. Most of these men came from Galilee and spoke with a Galilean accent.

It is already made clear that Judas Iscariot will become a traitor. Christ knew well ahead of time who would betray him. Still he was chosen as apostle. Each of these men had their own characters and we come to know them in Scripture with all their personality traits. Particulars are given only of a few of the chosen: Simon (renamed as Peter), Andrew (Peter’s brother), James and John, sons of Zebedee (whom Jesus named “Boanerges”, sons of thunder, probably because they were rather temperamental), Simon the Zealot (an extremist political movement) and Judas Iscariot (already designated as the traitor).

These are hardly the men that we would expect as apostles. At the end of his life, they all fled and deserted the Lord. But it demonstrates that the power comes from Christ and not from these men themselves. Christ accepted them earnestly and sent them out to be his witnesses. Except for Judas Iscariot, they all remained faithful.

Does it have any significance that there were 12 apostles, sometimes also called “the Twelve” (Luke 9:1)?¹After Judas Iscariot has committed suicide, the other apostles considered it necessary to elect one to take his place. We note that there were 12 sons of Jacob and 12 tribes in Israel. But there is no concrete evidence to make conclusions about the number twelve, except that it denotes certain fullness.

The Sermon on the Mount←⤒🔗

¹⁷He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, ¹⁸who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, ¹⁹and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. 

²⁰Looking at his disciples, he said: 

"Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God. 

²¹Blessed are you who hunger now,

for you will be satisfied. 

Blessed are you who weep now,

for you will laugh. 

²² Blessed are you when men hate you,

when they exclude you and insult you 

and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. 

²³"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. 

²⁴"But woe to you who are rich, 

for you have already received your comfort. 

²⁵Woe to you who are well fed now,

for you will go hungry. 

Woe to you who laugh now,

for you will mourn and weep. 

²⁶Woe to you when all men speak well of you,

for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.

²⁷"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you. 

³²"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. ³³And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. ³⁴And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

³⁷"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." 

³⁹He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. ⁴¹"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴²How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

⁴³"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. ⁴⁵The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

⁴⁶"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? ⁴⁷I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. ⁴⁸He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."Luke 6:17-49

After having chosen the twelve apostles, Christ comes out of hill country and stands on a “level place” (6:17). There he delivers his great “Sermon on the Mount”. This may still be at the foot of a mountain, but Luke adds that Christ stood on a level plateau and this is not in conflict with Matthew 5. The level place may still be part of a mountain. Parts of the “sermon on the mount” follow, which we also find in Matthew 5-7. The beginning and end of this sermon are the same as in Matthew. Luke has placed other parts of the sermon at other occasions.

This “sermon” is preceded by many healings and powerful exorcisms. The election of the twelve apostles (who also have authority over sickness and demons) is met with a lot of diabolical activity. But the counter offensive of the demons does not have enough power to stop the work of the Lord. People tried to touch the Lord, for it was evident that “power” was coming from him. The Kingdom of heaven is moving mightily forward.

It is within this context that the Lord Jesus delivers a major sermon. It is important to note that this message is not addressed indiscriminately to all, but is directed first to Christ’s disciples. This is specified in the synoptic gospels and should be carefully noted (6:20). In this way Christ equips his church to testify in their communities. This does not, however, exclude the people in the multitude who could hear what he was saying.

Luke gives us an abbreviated account of Christ’s so-called Sermon on the Mount. We first find the beatitudes and then some sections which correspond to other parts of the Sermon on the Mount. The beatitudes in Luke are more direct (blessed are you) followed by specific “woes” (6:24-26).

The corresponding sections are “love for enemies”, “judging others”, “a tree and its fruit”, and “the wise and foolish builders”. I will devote a few remarks here to each of these sections.

The “Beatitudes” focus on specific blessings which are given to those who follow the Lord Jesus. Perhaps many people will look down on Les Miserables mentioned here, the poor, the hungry, the grieving, and the excluded, but Christ has great things in store for them. This is especially true for those who are excluded and rejected because of the Son of Man. The version of Matthew has “because of me”. In view of Luke’s account of the Pharisees being furious and beginning to conspire, this is a special beatitude.

The first main section (after the Beatitudes) in Luke is about love for enemies. Some object to this teaching because it would make victims even more vulnerable. But in the word of God “meekness” is not “weakness”. Christ defends and restores those who have been exploited and victimized. Still, only love can overcome hate.

The second section deals with the calling not to judge others, in the sense, not to condemn. We are to give and forgive. We are to watch for hypocrisy, thinking that we are better than others and be focused on removing the plank from our eye (instead of the speck in the neighbor’s eye).

The third section tells us to be fruitful in God’s service. “No good tree bears bad fruit.” We are to bring forth good fruit. This process of growing and bearing good fruit does take time and effort. This is not an excuse for bearing bad fruit, but an incentive to bearing good fruit. We should not be easily discouraged in this struggle to bring forth (good) fruit.

The final section gives us the example of the wise and foolish builders. A house must be built on a solid foundation (on rock, not on sand) or it will not withstand the floods that may come. The wise builder hears the Word of Christ and puts it into practice. Even the abbreviated version of the Sermon on the Mount goes deep and is impressive. This sermon has been called the constitution of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is basic instruction for Christians.

Questions←⤒🔗

1. In what way did the Sabbath observance become a real point of contention between the Lord and the Jewish leaders? Why is this important for us today? How do we in our time “hallow” the day of the Lord?
2. Why does Christ use the example of David taking the holy bread to explain his own actions on the Sabbath?
3. Is it proper to distinguish between the “letter” of the Law and the “spirit” of the Law? What does this teach us today?
4. What does it mean for us that Jesus declares himself to be “Lord of the Sabbath”?
5. How does Luke 6:17-49 summarize the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount? What is the key to the teaching of “the Sermon on the Mount”?
6. Why did no one in the synagogue reply to Jesus’ question whether it was lawful or not to heal on the Sabbath?
7. What do we conclude from the choosing of the twelve apostles? Would you have chosen them?
8. How do you fill the Sunday? (As your day or the Lord’s Day?