Lord of the Sabbath
Study note
Two Sabbath controversies reveal Jesus' authority over religious law. First, His disciples pick grain on the Sabbath and Jesus defends them by citing David's example. Then Jesus heals a man with a withered hand in the synagogue, directly challenging the Pharisees by asking whether it is lawful to do good or evil on the Sabbath. His declaration that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath claims divine authority over the very institution God established.
1 One Sabbath day, Jesus was walking through some grain fields. His disciples pulled off some heads of grain, rubbed the husks off with their hands, and ate the kernels. 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 Some Pharisees objected, "Why are you doing something that is not allowed on the Sabbath?" And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?
3 Jesus replied, "Have you never read about what David did when he and his companions were hungry?" 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 "He went right into God's house, took the bread that had been set apart for God -- bread that only priests were supposed to eat -- and ate it. He even shared it with the people who were with him." How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
5 Then he told them, "The Son of man has authority over the Sabbath." And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
6 On a different Sabbath, Jesus went into the synagogue to teach. A man with a crippled right hand was sitting there. 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 The Pharisees and religion teachers kept their eyes glued on Jesus to see if he would heal someone on the Sabbath. They were looking for something to accuse him of. And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
8 Jesus saw right through them. He told the man with the damaged hand, "Stand up and come to the center." The man stood up and moved forward. But he knew 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.
9 Then Jesus asked the group, "Let me ask you something: does the law allow us to help someone on the Sabbath, or should we let them suffer? Should we save a life or let it be destroyed?" 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 He looked around at every person there. Then he said to the man, "Hold your hand out." The man stretched it out, and it was completely healed -- just as strong as the other one. 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 This made the religious leaders furious. They got together to plan what they could do about Jesus. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
Choosing the Twelve Apostles
Study note
After spending an entire night in prayer, Jesus selects twelve from among His disciples and names them apostles. The list includes Simon Peter, the brothers James and John, the tax collector Matthew, and Judas Iscariot who would become the traitor. This prayerful selection of twelve echoes the twelve tribes of Israel, signaling that Jesus is forming a new covenant community.
12 Around that time, Jesus went up a mountainside to pray. He spent the entire night talking to God. And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
13 In the morning, he gathered his followers and picked twelve from among them. He gave these twelve the title of apostles: And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
14 They were Simon (whom Jesus called Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, and Bartholomew, Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was known as Zelotes, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphæus, and Simon called Zelotes,
16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, the one who later became a traitor. And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.
The Sermon on the Plain: Blessings and Woes
Study note
Coming down to a level place with a great crowd, Jesus teaches His disciples with four blessings and four corresponding woes. The poor, hungry, weeping, and persecuted are blessed because the kingdom of God is theirs, while the rich, full, laughing, and popular receive warnings. Luke's version is more direct than Matthew's Sermon on the Mount, emphasizing economic and social reversal as central to the gospel.
17 Jesus came back down the mountain with them and stopped on a flat area. A great crowd of his followers was there, along with masses of people from all of Judaea and Jerusalem and from the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon. They all came to hear him and to be healed. 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 Judæa and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
18 Those who were tormented by evil spirits were also made well. And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
19 Everyone in the crowd was reaching out to touch him because healing power was flowing out of him, and he healed them all. And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.
20 Looking straight at his disciples, he said, "What a blessing it is to be poor, because the kingdom of God is yours." And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 "What a blessing it is to be hungry right now, because one day you will have more than enough. What a blessing it is to cry right now, because one day you will be laughing with joy." Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
22 "What a blessing when people hate you, shut you out, call you names, and trash your good name -- all because you follow the Son of man." Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23 "When that happens, be happy and jump for joy! A great reward is waiting for you in heaven. That is exactly what their ancestors did to the prophets." Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
24 "But how awful it will be for you who are rich right now. You have already received all the comfort you will ever get." But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
25 "How terrible for you who have full stomachs now, because a day is coming when you will go hungry. How terrible for you who are laughing now, because you will end up crying and heartbroken." Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
26 "Watch out when everybody has nothing but nice things to say about you. That is exactly how their ancestors treated the fake prophets." Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Love Your Enemies
Study note
Jesus commands His followers to love their enemies, do good to those who hate them, and lend without expecting anything in return. The standard is not reciprocal kindness but the mercy of God Himself: 'Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.' This ethic goes beyond normal human behavior and marks Jesus' followers as children of the Most High, reflecting God's own character of grace toward the ungrateful and wicked.
27 But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29 "If somebody hits you on one side of your face, turn and offer the other side too. If somebody grabs your coat, let them have your shirt as well." And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 "Give to anyone who asks you for something. If someone takes what belongs to you, do not insist on getting it back." Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31 "Treat other people exactly the way you would like them to treat you." And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 "What is so special about loving people who already love you? Even the worst sinners do that." For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 "And what is so special about being good to people who are good to you? Sinners do that too." 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 what is so special about lending things to people when you know they will pay you back? Sinners lend to other sinners when they expect to get repaid." 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 "Instead, love your enemies, treat them well, and lend without expecting anything back. Then you will receive a tremendous reward, and you will be acting like children of the Most High God. After all, he is generous even to people who are ungrateful and wicked." But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 "Show mercy to others, just like your Father shows mercy to you." Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Judging, Giving, and Bearing Fruit
Study note
Jesus teaches about judging, forgiving, and giving with the promise that generosity returns in abundance. Using vivid imagery of blind guides, specks and planks in eyes, and trees known by their fruit, He teaches that outward behavior flows from the condition of the heart. A good person produces good from the good stored within, while an evil person produces evil from what fills their heart.
37 "Stop judging other people, and you will not be judged. Stop condemning others, and you will not be condemned. Forgive others, and you yourself will be forgiven." Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
38 Give, and it shall be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall be poured into your lap. For with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Give, 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 measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
39 He also used this word picture: "Can a blind person show the way for another blind person? They would both end up falling into a hole." And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
40 "A student does not outrank his teacher. But once a student is fully trained, that student becomes like the teacher." The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
41 "Why do you notice the tiny speck in someone else's eye but miss the huge board sticking out of your own?" And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
42 "How can you look at someone and say, 'Here, let me get that little speck out of your eye,' when you have a massive plank in your own eye and cannot even see? What a phony! Pull the plank out of your own eye first. Then you will be able to see clearly enough to help with the speck in your friend's eye." 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 "A healthy tree does not grow rotten fruit, and a rotten tree does not grow good fruit." For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44 "You can always tell what kind of tree it is by looking at what it produces. Nobody picks figs from thorn bushes or grapes from a brier patch." For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
45 "A good person produces good things because goodness is stored inside their heart. A bad person produces bad things because that is what fills their heart. Whatever fills your heart is going to come pouring out through your words." A good man out of the good treasure of his heart 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 heart his mouth speaketh.
Building on the Rock
Study note
Jesus concludes His sermon with a parable contrasting two builders: one who digs deep and builds on rock, and another who builds without a foundation. When floods come, the house on rock stands firm while the other is destroyed. The point is unmistakable -- hearing Jesus' words is not enough; only those who put them into practice build lives that withstand the storms of life.
46 "Why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord,' but then refuse to do what I tell you?" And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47 "Let me describe what it looks like when someone comes to me, listens to what I say, and follows through." Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 "That person is like someone building a house who digs way down deep and sets the foundation right on solid rock. When a flood rushes in and the water crashes against it, the house does not budge because it was anchored on rock." 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 the person who hears what I say and does nothing about it is like someone who builds a house on bare dirt with no foundation. When the flood hits it, the house falls apart right away and is totally ruined." But he that heareth, 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.