LUKE 6

 One Sabbath, Jesus was in the grainfields with His disciples and they plucked the heads of grain and ate them; therefore the self-righteous Pharisees asked why they did that on the Sabbath. Jesus brought to mind the Scriptures that told how David and his men unlawfully ate the showbread in the temple that was reserved only for the priests. And besides, Jesus added, the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.

Jesus also healed a man on another Sabbath in the temple, while the scribes and Pharisees eagerly watched Him like a hawk "that they might find an accusation against Him." But Jesus knew what they were thinking, and He called out to the man with a withered hand and asked, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?" Then He healed the man's hand, so that the Pharisees were filled with rage and sought how to dispose of Jesus. 

Next, Jesus, after a night of praying to God, called His disciples and chose twelve to be His apostles: Simon Peter, Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James and Simon (the Zealot); Judas (Jude); and Judas Iscariot (the traitor). 

While He stood, a great crowd of people came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases and unclean spirits. And all who came were healed.

THE BEATITUDES

Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples and said:

Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in the like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

Then Jesus gave a series of 'woes' to those who are rich and full, laugh now, and to men who receive their praise from others, for their fathers did to the FALSE prophets.

Jesus set rules for believers, for those who hear:

• love your enemies
• do good to those who hate you
• bless those who use you
• offer the other cheek to those who strike you
• give your tunic also to those who take your cloak
• give to all who asks
• don't ask for your good back from those who take from you
• do to men as you would want them to do to you

If you love those who love you or do good to those who do good to you or lend to those whom you hope to receive in return, you are no different than sinners who do likewise. Again, see the rules above, do those, and know that your reward will be great in heaven. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 

Jesus added: 

Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you...for with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

Jesus ended with the parable of the man who heard the Word of God and built his house on the rock, the firm foundation of truth, so that when the waters rose up, his house stood firm. But the man who was exposed to the Word of God, but still built his house without the foundation of truth, and the same waters rose up, his house fell and he suffered great ruin.

COMMENTARY

Jesus did not argue with the Pharisees over their charge that the disciples were breaking the Sabbath; instead He brought their attention to David who definitely broke the Law, but was justified because he and his men were starving. 

When Jesus healed the man with the withered hand, the Pharisees were right about what they knew regarding Jesus, that He was powerful and compassionate; they predicted what He would do. And even predicting a righteous deed, they still could not see the hypocrisy of their behavior.

After much prayer with God, Jesus officially chose His twelve disciples to be apostles. When Jesus chooses us, He calls us, making it is His responsibility, not our own, which is a good thing. 

Notice the healing that Jesus did compared to the so-called "faith-healers" today; Jesus healed everyone who came to Him. There was no slapping of the face or punching in the gut, falling backwards or forwards. Sometimes Jesus even healed from a distance. It wasn't a performance or show. 

Next was the Sermon on the Plain, which has similarities to the Sermon on the Mount, but I am not confident I know enough to say they are the same or same sermon at different times or different locations. McGee states that Jesus gave similar messages again and again. But the most important takeaway is the context. 

One of the most essential sections of this message was the reference to prophets and false prophets. Jesus reminded His disciples, whom He was directing this message, that the true prophets of God were treated unjustly, particularly by the religious rulers; therefore, they will be, too; but count it all joy! They are doing the right thing. And recall that the false prophets were promoted and commended by men and the world. Jesus was warning his disciples that if the world treated them with contempt as they did the false prophets of old, they were doing something wrong. Basically, this was the false prophet's BEST LIFE NOW. (Know any of those today? I do!)

Jesus Teaching the People by the Sea - James Tissot [Brooklyn Museum]