New Testament Commentary - Luke 6

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 6 Jesus heals on the Sabbath—He chooses the Twelve Apostles—He pronounces blessings upon the obedient, woes upon the wicked.
1 AND it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. 2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the ^asabbath days?^a	2^a Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days? Now Jesus had been healing upon the sabbath 'days' purposefully in Jerusalem and Galilee, setting forth that he was the Lord of the sabbath and would perform his work, the Lord's work on 'his day'. The accusations of the Pharisees were subjectively judgmental against him according to their own private interpretations, for he was about taking their followers away from them. Thus they were finding fault where their was not fault existant, but only in their own contrived course against him as the false corrupt leaders of the Jews and the Jewish 'church', which was in a state of apostasy from the truths of Moses' law.	1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him; 4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the ^ashewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? 5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the ^asabbath.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
6 And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. 8 But he ^aknew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? 10 And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 11 And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
12 And it came to pass in those days, that he ^awent out into a mountain to ^bpray, and continued all night in prayer to God^a. 13 ¶ And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he ^achose ^btwelve, whom also he named ^capostles;	12^a continued all night in prayer to God This lengthy pray and communion with the Father was very purposeful, for the Lord was in the process of determining whom he would select to be his twelve apostles from among his many disciples. One might presume, incorrectly so, that Jesus automatically knew which of his many followers to choose. But the veil was over his mind on such matters as much as it is over the minds of men. He would have to study it out in his own mind and pray unto the Father to receive his guidance in the selection process. And while he who understands not the 'selection process' and the 'determination of worthiness' and of who was and who was not selected, might mindlessly inquirer why the Lord selected Judas, for he knowing all things should have known that Judas would betray him. Well, in fact the Lord's mind and mental process were as those of men and Judas was as worthy as any whom he chose. Satan had not completed his work of entreating whom he could to do his bidding. It could have been one from among a number of the twelve who could have ben enticed to betray Jesus. Perhaps the only ones who were purposefully guarded from this were Peter, James and John, though through own agencies they still had a choice. Remember, while Lucifer had gotten hold of Judas and entered into him, even Peter denied Jesus thrice that same night. And all the diciples in their own minds responded and questioned the Lord if it was they who might betray him. Likely through the workings of Satan, all had had some question and doubt and tempting upon the matter over the course of the events of men and the ministry of the Lord. They were men and men of personal opinion and thought as much as any, and each could have fallen just as any of those who now so served are so prone to such. Consider just how many of the early members of high position in the restored church fell victim to the entrappings of Satan and did fall away from the church in our own day.
14 Simon, (whom he also named ^aPeter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, 16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas ^aIscariot, which also was the traitor.
17 ¶ And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; 18 And they that were vexed with ^aunclean spirits: and they were healed. 19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went ^avirtue out of him, and ^bhealed them all.
20 ¶ And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye ^apoor: for yours is the ^bkingdom of God. 21 Blessed are ye that ^ahunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall ^blaugh. 22 Blessed are ye, when men shall ^ahate you, and when they shall ^bseparate you from their company, and shall ^creproach you, and ^dcast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23 ^aRejoice ye in that day, and leap for ^bjoy: for, behold, your ^creward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
24 But woe unto you that are ^arich! for ye have ^breceived your consolation. 25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. 26 Woe unto you, when all ^amen shall speak ^bwell of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
27 ¶ But I say unto you which hear, ^aLove your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and ^apray for them which despitefully use you. 29 ^aAnd unto him that ^bsmiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that ^ctaketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 ^aGive to every man that ^basketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But ^alove ye your enemies, and do good, and ^blend, hoping for nothing again; and your ^creward shall be great, and ye shall be the ^dchildren of the Highest: for he is kind unto the ^eunthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore ^amerciful, as your Father also is ^bmerciful. 37 ^aJudge not, and ye shall not be judged: ^bcondemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be ^cforgiven: 38 ^aGive, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same ^bmeasure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the ^ablind ^blead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ^cditch? 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one ^athat is perfect shall be as his master.
41 And why beholdest thou the ^amote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt ^afruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by his own ^afruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his ^aheart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the ^bheart his ^cmouth ^dspeaketh.
46 ¶ And why ^acall ye me, ^bLord, Lord, and ^cdo not the things which I say? 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and ^adoeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that ^aheareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.