Luke Chapter 6

 

Overview:

Yahshua is Lord of the Sabbath (Matt 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28)

The Man With The Withered Hand (Matthew 12:9-14 Mark 3:1-6)

Yahshua Chooses the Twelve Talmidim (Matthew 10: 1-4; Mark 3:13-19)

Yahshua Ministers to a Great Multitude (Matthew 4:23-25)

Blessings and Woes (Matthew 5:1-12)

Love Your Enemies (Matthew 5:38-48; 7:12)

Judging Others (Matthew 7:1-5)

Bearing Fruit (Matthew 7:17-20; 12: 34,35)

The Two Foundations (Matthew 7:24-27)

 

 

Yahshua is Lord of the Sabbath (Matt 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28)

 

Luk 6:1  Now it happened on the second Shabbat after the first, that he was going through the grain fields. His talmidim plucked the heads of grain, and ate, rubbing them in their hands.

 

John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible:

 

Or "second first sabbath", concerning which interpreters are greatly divided. Some think, that it was either the seventh day of the feast of unleavened bread, or the eighth day of the feast of tabernacles. Others, that it was the sabbath which fell that year on the day of Pentecost; and that as there were three grand festivals among the Jews, the feasts of passover, Pentecost, and tabernacles; so when the sabbath day fell on the feast of the passover, it was called the first prime sabbath, when on the feast of Pentecost, it was called the second prime sabbath, and when on the feast of tabernacles, the third prime sabbath. Others have been of opinion, that as the Jews had two beginnings of their year, the one on civil accounts in Tisri, the other on ecclesiastical accounts in Nisan; so the first sabbath in Tisri was called the first first sabbath, and that in Nisan, which was this, the second first sabbath: but what seems most likely is, that this sabbath was, as it may be rendered, "the first sabbath after the second"; that is, the first sabbath after the second day of the passover, when the sheaf of the firstfruits was offered, and harvest might be begun; which suits well with ears of corn being ripe at this time, which the disciples rubbed. So the Jews reckoned the seven weeks from thence to Pentecost by sabbaths; the first after the second day they called the second first, or the first after the second day; the second they called the second second; and the third was named the second third; and so on, the second fourth, the second fifth, the second sixth, and second seventh, which brought on Pentecost, when the harvest was ended. So in the Jewish liturgies, there are collects for the first sabbath after the passover, and for the second sabbath after the passover, and so on to the sabbath before Pentecost

 

 

Luk 6:2  But some of the Perushim said to them, "Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the day of Shabbat?"

Luk 6:3  Yeshua, answering them, said, "Haven't you read what David did when he was hungry, he, and those who were with him;

Luk 6:4  how he entered into the house of God, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the Kohanim alone?"

Luk 6:5  He said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Shabbat."

 

The Jewish New Testament Commentary

This passage from the Talmud gives the same message as v. 27:

“Rabbi Yonatan ben-Yosef said: ‘For it [Shabbat] is holy unto you’ (Exodus 31:14). That is, it is committed into your hands, not you into its hands!” (Yoma 85b)

A similar passage appears in the Mekhilta, Shabbata I:1 on Exodus 31:12–17, where the saying is attributed to Rabbi Shim‘on Ben-Menasya.

It may be, therefore, that Yeshua’s comment in v. 28, that the Son of Man is Lord of Shabbat, does not refer only to himself but to everyone, since Hebrew ben-adam (literally, “son of man”) can mean simply “man, person,” with no Messianic overtone: “people control Shabbat” and not the other way round. [1]

 

 

The Man With The Withered Hand (Matthew 12:9-14 Mark 3:1-6)

 

Luk 6:6  It also happened on another Shabbat that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered.

 

Yeshua taught on Shabbat and observed Shabbat in the Synagogues.  He obeyed the Torah fully because He was the living Torah made flesh.    He was not teaching “Sunday School” or worshipping on “Sunday”, He was worshiping and teaching in the Synagogues. What was he teaching?  The Torah and the Prophets.

 

See Roman Catholic and Protestant Confessions about Sunday  http://www.biblesabbath.org/confessions.html

 

How The Sabbath Was Changed to Sunday

http://www.pathlights.com/theselastdays/tracts/tract_22a.htm

 

Seventh Day Sabbath or Sunday?

http://members.aol.com/KHoeck2/Sunday.html

 

 

Luk 6:7  The scribes and the Perushim watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Shabbat, that they might find an accusation against him.

Luk 6:8  But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Rise up, and stand in the middle." He arose and stood.

Luk 6:9  Then Yeshua said to them, "I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Shabbat to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?"

Luk 6:10  He looked around at them all, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other.

Luk 6:11  But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Yeshua.

 

Religious spirits always go into a rage, when their traditions are more important then the truth of Torah.  Instead of seeing the miracle healing of YHWH at work, all they were looking for was a way to trap Yeshua.  These particular men did not represent all of the Jewish people of Yeshua’s time, these were religious leaders who were wrapped up in Oral Tradition and were blinded by jeoulosy and rage and missed the fact that Messiah was in their midst. 

 

Like many ministers today, who are wrapped up in their own Churches traditions, that they put the traditions of men above the Torah (teaching and instructions) of YHWH instead of truly following in the footsteps of Yeshua.  They accuse those who are returning to a Torah observant Messianic Israel lifestyle of legalism, while they hang onto and embrace the Pagan traditions that have infiltrated the Church.  

 

For more information on Paganism in the Church go to

  http://www.fossilizedcustoms.com

 

 

The Jewish New Testament Commentary

What is permitted on Shabbat? Mattityahu 12:10 reports the question as: “Is healing permitted on Shabbat?” The answer of modern halakhah is threefold:

(1)  On Shabbat, healing to save life is not only permitted but a duty.

(2)  Caring for the seriously ill (e.g., those with a high fever or pain affecting the whole body) is allowed, within certain constraints.

(3)  Treating minor ailments is prohibited by g<zerah (rabbinical decree)—the reason being that most treatments require grinding to prepare medicine, and grinding is a prohibited form of work (see 12:2N).

Since a shriveled hand is neither life-threatening nor “serious,” this healing, on the face of it, violates today’s halakhah concerning Shabbat.

However, since Yeshua did not use medicine and hence no grinding was done, a case could have been made—in the fluid halakhic environment of the first century—that no violation had taken place (but compare Yn 9:6&N).

Presumably the Mishna reflects the halakhic situation among the P<rushim. It prohibits healing on Shabbat through medical means but allows healing which comes as a byproduct of some other activity:

“They may not set a fracture. If someone’s hand or foot is dislocated, he may not pour cold water over it; but he may wash it in the usual way; and if it heals, it heals.” (Shabbat 22:5)

In v. 10 the man holds out his shriveled hand, and it is restored to soundness. This is in no sense a medical cure, but clearly he held out his hand in response to Yeshua’s instruction for no other reason than to be healed, so that by the logic implicit in the Mishna the cure was not a byproduct and was therefore a violation of Shabbat.

Actually, Yeshua brings five arguments against the way in which the P<rushim use their halakhah:

(1)  In the parallel passage at Mt 12:11–12 Yeshua attacks the premise underlying the Oral Torah as understood by the P<rushim with an argument about priorities: “doing good deeds” is more important than observing the details of the Shabbat work rules. Determination of priorities is a legitimate form of halakhic ruling (see Yn 7:22–23N).

(2)  He strengthens his case with a kal v<chomer argument (see Mt 6:30N): if it is permitted to rescue a sheep on Shabbat, how much more is it permitted to heal a man on Shabbat!

(3)  In the parallel passage in Mark he adds that “Shabbat was made for man, not man for Shabbat”—which is to say that God’s rules are to serve man and enable him better to glorify God, not to enslave man and require him to glorify the rules (see Mk 2:27&N).

(4)  At Yn 5:17–18 he says, “My Father has been working until now, and I too am working,” which his hearers correctly interpreted as Yeshua’s claim to divinity and thus his need and right to work on Shabbat.

(5)  Finally, at Yn 7:22–23, where he has just healed a man on Shabbat, he brings another kal v<chomer argument: if his opponents allow circumcision on Shabbat, how much more should they allow healing (see Yn 7:22–23N).

The common thread in these five arguments is that the rules of the P<rushim for Shabbat are generally good guides to behavior, but they must not be allowed to become oppressive—there are circumstances when one should break them in order to obey God’s will and be an active participant in his Kingdom (for more, see Ac 4:19N, Ga 2:11–20&NN). “Breaking the rules” for the right reasons is an essential element in Messianic halakhah! [2]

 

 

Yahshua Chooses the Twelve Talmidim (Matthew 10: 1-4; Mark 3:13-19)

 

Luk 6:12  It happened in these days, that he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.

 

Before Yeshua went about the task of picking His Talmidim, He spent all night in prayer first, then He picked those who would his closest followers.

 

Luk 6:13  When it was day, he called his talmidim, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named emissaries:

 

From this verse it is apparent that he had many talmidim, but choose only 12 to be those He would entrust to bring the Gospel or Good News of Redemption and the Renewed Covenant to the World.

 

THE NUMBER OF GOVERNMENTAL PERFECTION. There were 12 tribes of Israel; 12 Apostles, 12 foundations in the heavenly Jerusalem; 12 gates; 12 pearls; 12 angels. The measurements of New Jerusalem are 12,000 furlongs or stadia, while the wall will be 144 (12 x 12) cubits (Rev. 21:16-17).  

 

See article Number in Scripture By E.W. Bullinger

 http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/number03.htm

 

Bibical Numerology

 

http://www.carm.org/questions/numbers.htm

 

 

Luk 6:14  Shim`on, whom he also named Kefa; Andrew, his brother; Ya`akov; Yochanan; Philip; Bar-Talmai;

Luk 6:15  Mattityahu; T'oma; Ya`akov, the son of Chalfai; Shim`on, who was called the Zealot;

Luk 6:16  Yehudah the son of Ya`akov; and Yehudah Iskriot, who also became a traitor.

 

The Jewish New Testament Commentary

Emissaries. Greek apostoloi, which means “those sent out,” is usually rendered “apostles,” a word with a distinctly “churchy” ring I wanted to avoid. I debated using the Hebrew equivalent, “shlichim” (singular “shaliach”), but decided that “shaliach” makes Diaspora Jews think of an Israeli sent to encourage aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel)—not a bad image, in my view, but irrelevant to the New Testament.

Shim‘on (Simon), called Kefa—see 4:18N. Andrew and Philip render Greek names. Ya‘akov Ben-Zavdai and … Yochanan—see 4:21N. T’oma (Thomas) means “twin” in Hebrew—see Yn 11:16. Mattityahu, identified as L’vi (Mk 2:14, Lk 5:27–29), is believed to be the author of this Gospel. Bar-Chalfai, son of Alpheus. Taddai; some manuscripts have “Lebbai also known as Taddai” (Lebbeus also known as Thaddeus); he is supposed to be the same as Y’hudah the brother of Ya‘akov (Lk 6:16, Yn 14:22, Ac 1:13, Yd 1).

Zealot. The Zealots were the “Jewish Liberation Front” of their day, actively opposing Roman occupation. Their provocations led in 66 c.e. to open rebellion, which was crushed by the Romans with enormous loss of life, destruction of the Temple in 70, and mass suicide of the last holdouts at Matzada in 73 to avoid being captured and enslaved by the Roman army.

Y’hudah from K’riot is known to English-speakers as Judas Iscariot. “Iscariot” is probably not a surname but a rendering into Greek of Hebrew ish-K<riot, “a man of K’riot,” a town some twenty miles south of Jerusalem.

 

 

Yahshua Ministers to a Great Multitude (Matthew 4:23-25)

 

Luk 6:17  He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his talmidim, and a great number of the people from all Yehudah and Yerushalayim, and the sea coast of Tzor and Tzidon, who came to hear him and to be healed (2390) of their diseases (3554);

Luk 6:18  as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed (2323).

Luk 6:19  All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed (2390) them all.

 

Yahshua is the Healer – He came and healed them all.   Healing is a covenant promise to those who obey His Teachings and Instructions and have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb.  Read Deuteronomy 28

 

The word Healed used in these verses is:

 

Heal, Healing

 <A-1,Verb,2323,therapeuo> Luke 6:18

primarily signifies "to serve as a therapon, and attendant;" then, "to care for the sick, to treat, cure, heal" (Eng., "therapeutics"). It is chiefly used in Matthew and Luke, once in John (Joh_5:10), and, after the Acts, only Rev_13:3, Rev_13:12. See CURE.

 

<A-2,Verb,2390,iaomai>Luke 6:17

"to heal," is used (a) of physical treatment 22 times; in Mat_15:28, AV, "made whole," RV, "healed;" so in Act_9:34; (b) figuratively, of spiritual "healing," Mat_13:15; Joh_12:40; Act_28:27; Heb_12:13; 1Pe_2:24; possibly, Jam_5:16 includes both (a) and (b); some mss. have the word, with sense (b), in Luk_4:18. Apart from this last, Luke, the physician, uses the word fifteen times. See WHOLE.

 

<A-3,Noun,3554,nosos>Luke 6:17

akin to Lat. nocere, "to injure" (Eng., "nosology"), is the regular word for "disease, sickness," Mat_4:23; Mat_8:17; Mat_9:35; Mat_10:1, RV, "disease," AV, "sickness;" in Mat_4:24; Mar_1:34; Luk_4:40; Luk_6:17; Luk_9:1; Act_19:12, AV and RV render it "diseases." In Luk_7:21, AV has "infirmities." The most authentic mss. omit the word in Mar_3:15. See SICKNESS.

 

 

Blessings and Woes (Matthew 5:1-12)

 

Luk 6:20  He lifted up his eyes to his talmidim, and said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.

Luk 6:21  Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

Luk 6:22  Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.

Luk 6:23  Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.

Luk 6:24  "But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.

Luk 6:25  Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

Luk 6:26  Woe, when men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.

 

They are called “Blessed” the closest to the Hebrew meaning is Ashrei – those who have come to a state of inner peace and contentment or who are deeply contented.  Why Ashrei?  Because Messiah Yeshua’s rule and reign has begun.  In Yeshua is our hope and our contentment and our fruits!

 

When you are walking (Halacha) in the Ruach/Spirit, you will be “Ashrei’, deeply contented and produce fruits of a Taldadim.

 

According to Hebrew Honey[3]

 

“Blessed is the word for translating several Hebrew words in the Bible.  “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Psalm 33:12) Here it is ashar which has some very interesting meanings.

 

It means to be very happy and the receiver of good fortune. 

 

It means to be straight and is related to the word translated righteousness.   The happiest people in this world and in the next will be righteous.  They have been straightened out before Him in whom there was no crookedness.

 

It means to guide right. Those are the happiest who have been guided into paths of righteousness.

 

It means to advance or to prosper.

 

One derivative means connection.  Only those branches abiding in the true vine will bear fruits of joy.

 

Another is relation. The happiest people in this world and in the next are those that are in a proper position in relation go God, to the Assembly/Church/Congregation, to the Bible/Torah etc.”

 

We are blessed because our contentment and reward is found abiding in the vine. He rules and reigns in our life so that in all circumstances we triumph In Him.  The rewards from bringing forth fruit may not be apparent in this life, but He has promised us that….

 

 

The Kingdom of Heaven is ours

 

That we will be comforted

 

That we will inherit the Land

 

Our hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled or satisfied

 

We will be shown mercy

 

We will see God

 

And be called the Sons of God!

 

  

Love Your Enemies (Matthew 5:38-48; 7:12)

 

Luk 6:27  "But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

Luk 6:28  bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.

Luk 6:29  To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don't withhold your coat also.

Luk 6:30  Give to everyone who asks you, and don't ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again.

Luk 6:31  "As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them.

Luk 6:32  If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

Luk 6:33  If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

Luk 6:34  If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.

Luk 6:35  But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Elyon; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

Luk 6:36  Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.

 

The Jewish New Testament Commentary  

Leviticus 19:18 told our fathers to “love your neighbor as yourself.” While in Psalm 139:21–22 the writer commends himself for hating God’s enemies, nowhere does the Tanakh teach that you should hate your enemy. Such a teaching must have come from the misinterpretations of those who “teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines” of God (Isaiah 29:13, cited by Yeshua below at 15:9). On “Jacob I loved but Esau I hated” (Malachi 1:2–3) see Ro 9:10–13&N.

Love your enemies! Some contrast the “realistic” ethics of Judaism with “Christian romanticism” and cite this as an example. However, the command is not to have good feelings about your enemies, but to want and do good for them, and, more specifically, to pray for those who persecute you. It is realistic enough to have been flattered by imitation in a well-known medieval Jewish work: “Pray for your enemy that he serve God.” (Orchot Tzaddikim15c) [4]

 

These are the commandments of Yeshua that we are to follow as His Talmidim

 

Love our enemies

So good to those who hate us

Bless those who curse us

Pray for those who mistreat us

Turn the other cheek

When someone takes our cloak, give him the coat as well

We are to be merciful – as YHWH has been merciful to us

We are to do good and lend and expect nothing back

 

YHWH is our source and He will repay and our reward comes from Him.   This life is so temporary compared to all eternity.    This is not a walk for the weak, for it takes strength and courage and the power of the Ruach Ha Kodesh to walk in this kind of love.  It is the supernatural love of YHWH that He has placed within each the hearts of those who follow Messiah Yahshua.  There are times when this love will be put to the test.

 

Judging Others (Matthew 7:1-5)

 

Luk 6:37  Don't judge (2919) , and you won't be judged. Don't condemn, and you won't be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.

 

Judge –Strongs

 

G2919

κρίνω

krinō

kree'-no

Properly to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish: - avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.

 

Luk 6:38  "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you."

Luk 6:39  He spoke a parable to them. "Can the blind guide the blind? Won't they both fall into a pit?

Luk 6:40  A talmid is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

 

Talmidim (plural; singular talmid), “disciples.” The English word “disciple” fails to convey the richness of the relationship between a rabbi and his talmidim in the first century c.e. Teachers, both itinerant like Yeshua and settled ones, attracted followers who wholeheartedly gave themselves over to their teachers (though not in a mindless way, as happens today in some cults). The essence of the relationship was one of trust in every area of living, and its goal was to make the talmid like his rabbi in knowledge, wisdom and ethical behavior (compare 10:24–25, and see the JNT glossary entry on talmid). [5]

 

Luk 6:41  Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye?

Luk 6:42  Or how can you tell your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,' when you yourself don't see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother's eye.

 

It is always easier to notice other peoples faults and ignore our own much BIGGER faults.   Or maybe we recognize others faults, because we are looking into a mirror and seeing what we do not like in ourselves.  We need to get our own lives in order before we start trying to houseclean our brethren. We are to teach the truth and walk in the truth so the world does not see us as hypocrites, or worse yet, Our Father see us as hypocrates.

 

Bearing Fruit (Matthew 7:17-20; 12: 34,35)

 

Luk 6:43  For there is no good tree that brings forth rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that brings forth good fruit.

Luk 6:44  For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don't gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.

Luk 6:45  The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.

 

See my study on the Fruit of the Ruach Ha Kodesh

http://www.deborahsmessianicministries.com/Study%20The%20Fruit%20Of%20The%20Ruach.html

 

The Two Foundations (Matthew 7:24-27)

 

Luk 6:46  "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things which I say?

Luk 6:47  Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like.

Luk 6:48  He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock.

Luk 6:49  But he who hears, and doesn't do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."

 

 

Are we building upon a firm foundation – The Torah (Teachings and Instructions of YHWH), and the words of Yeshua the Living Torah?   Or are we building our foundation on the traditions of men, who tell us that we no longer have to obey the Torah (teachings and Instructions of YHWH).  To hear His words and do them is to Obey HIS TORAH.

 

 

 



[1]The Jewish New Testament Commentary, (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.

[2]The Jewish New Testament Commentary, (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.

[3] Hebrew Honey, copyright by Al Novak 1965, J. Countryman Publishers P.O box 90776 Houston Texas 77290

[4]The Jewish New Testament Commentary, (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.

[5]The Jewish New Testament Commentary, (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.