Luke 6

Luke 6:1

In the morning of the day of Pentecost falling on a sabbath day, by which conjunction that day became an high sabbath, Christ passed through the corn fields, which were now full ripe, (this feast of Pentecost being called the feast of harvest, Exod. xxiii. 16,) and his disciples (see note [a] on Matt. xii.) plucked the ears of corn and eat of it.

[a] second sabbath after the first] This phrase, δευτερόπρωτον σάββατον, hath been matter of trouble to interpreters. The most probable conjecture concerning it is that of the learned H. Grotius, which I shall thus explain and confirm. When any of the solemn yearly feasts fell on the sabbath day, that sabbath had a special extraordinary respect attributed to it, and was called sometimes μίγα σάββατον, a great sabbath, and μεγάλη ἡμέρα τοῦ σαββάτου, a great day of sabbath, John xix. 31. Now three of these feasts there were: the passover, pentecost, and the feast of tabernacles. Of these feasts, some days there were days of holy assemblies, קְרָא מִקְרָא, wherein the assemblies were called together; as the first day of unleavened bread, Lev. xxiii. 7; and the seventh day of it, ver. 8; the day of pentecost, Lev. xxiii. 21; the first of the feast of tabernacles, Lev. xxiii. 35; and the eighth, ver. 36. And these being days of rest, (as it is appointed in every of those places,) were a kind of sabbaths, and distinguished from the other days of the feast, and therefore called ἡμέρα μεγάλη, the great day, Isaiah i. 13: and ἡμέρα μεγάλη τῆς ἑορτῆς, the great day of the feast, John vii. 37. And accordingly Tertullian, cont. Marcion. l. 5, speaking of the observation of days, mentions jejunia et dies magnos, “fasts and great days.” But when any of these great days fell on the sabbath too, then that was not only a great day, but a great sabbath. Now this great sabbath was called also πρῶτον σάββατον, a prime, or first sabbath, (as πρῶτον and μίγα are all one); and consequently three of these prime, or great, or first sabbaths there were: 1. when the passover, that is, either of the great days of that feast, but especially the first, fell on a sabbath; and, 2dly, when the day of pentecost, and, 3dly, when the great day of the feast of tabernacles fell on a sabbath day; and these prime or great sabbaths were thus distinguished one from another: the first of them called

Luke 6:2

And the Pharisees questioned them, saying, Why do you eat before the public service, which is not to be done on sabbath days, especially on such days as this, the feast of Pentecost? See note [a] on Matt. xii.

3, 4. And Jesus answered for the disciples, by putting them in mind what David did in the like case, that of hunger, transgressing the law of holy things, which is in like manner applicable to such transgressions as these on the sabbath days.

Luke 6:5

See note [a] on Matt. xii.

ᵃ observed him insidiously, and at last asked him whether the working a cure on the sabbath day were lawful or no? Matt. xii. 10, that they might—

ᵇ designs of treachery, (see note [c] on Matt. xv.) ¹ second prime sabbath. ² machinations, διαλογισμοί.

Luke 6:9

And therefore said, He that doth not an act of charity when there is need of it, and he can do it, doth commit sin, and he that then doth not cure, destroys: I shall therefore ask you this question, Which of these is the fittest employment for a sabbath day, to cure or kill? ’ senseless anger or rage, and consulted together what they might do to Jesus. ’ at that time, or then, he betook himself (see note

Luke 6:12

[b] prayer] Προσευχή signifies an oratory, a place where men are wont to pray; and so seems to be used in some places of the scripture, especially in St. Luke’s writings. So Acts xvi. 13, οὐ ἐνομίζετο προσευχή εἶναι, the Syriac reads ubi conspiciebatur, בית צלותא, where a house of prayer was seen, a praying place by a river side, as here on a mountain: such an one there was in Mispah, 1 Mac. iii. 46, where upon occasion of the victory gotten by Joshua in that place, Joshua xi. 3. 8, they were wont to meet to pray, and to deliberate on any great affair; and there was an altar built by Joshua, and בית התפלה, an house of prayer, or בית מכורש לתפלה, an house consecrate for prayers; which prayers and consecration, being both made unto God, it is very agreeable, that those places so consecrated to him should be called, as here, προσευχαὶ Θεοῦ, oratories, or praying houses of God. Of these προσευχαὶ we find frequent mention in Josephus, in his own life, the people convened in a προσευχή, as they call it, a house of prayer, ample and capacious of great multitudes; and speaking of Tiberias, “I found the people convened” in a προσευχή: and Epiphan. t. 2. l. 3. c. 80. there were ancient places of prayer both among the Jews, without the city, and among the Samaritans, as we find, saith he, in the Acts of the Apostles. Such a place there is in Sichem, which is now called Neapolis, without the city in a plain region. And some such place it may seem to be wherein Jesus continued all night, in this verse.

Luke 6:13

[c] apostles] The title ἀπόστολοι, apostles, which is here by Christ said to be given to the twelve, is a name of power and dignity and authority in the church; and how it doth signify so will deserve to be explained. That the government of the church of God was now settled on the Son of man upon earth, that is, upon Christ incarnate, had been foretold, Isaiah ix. 6, The government shall be upon his shoulders; and Isa. lxi. 1, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings, &c.; he hath sent me to bind up &c., to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, &c. (see Luke iv. 18. 21.) In which place, as the anointing, and the Spirit of the Lord being upon him, so the sending is the settling the government upon him. And the sending is a solemn word, noting a diploma, or commission, sealed to him (as it were by God in heaven) by the Spirit’s descending on him, Matt. iii. 17; and that supplied the place of the solemn unction, (the ceremony of advancing to any office, which is therefore paraphrased by the Chaldee by

Luke 6:20

[d] blessed are ye] That the beatitudes here repeated are the same which are mentioned Matt. v, there is little cause of doubting, though whether they were but once delivered only, in the sermon on the mount, or whether again repeated in some other sermon to other auditors, it is uncertain. That there is some variety in the words, as also in some other places some light differences between this and the other Gospels, seems to be caused by St. Luke’s writing his Gospel by short notes, which he had received from those which were present, being not an eyewitness or earwitness himself, (see ch. i. 3, and note on the title of St. Matthew’s Gospel.) From whence it follows, that these words in St. Luke are to be interpreted according to the importance of those in St. Matthew, who sets them down more fully. And accordingly by the poor here must be understood the poor in spirit there; by the hungry here, those that hunger and thirst after righteousness there, as the words of an epitome are to be interpreted according to the sense of the entire copy, before it was thus contracted.

Luke 6:22

[e] separate] That the word ἀφορίζειν, to separate, denotes the first sort of excommunication among the Jews, there is no doubt; that they called ירו, remotion, or separation to the distance of four paces, for thirty days, and that (though not totally, yet) in that degree, from civil and domestic and sacred commerce, there being a gate into the temple called the gate of mourners, by which these were to enter, to discriminate them from other men. And that Hebrew word cannot be more literally rendered in Greek than by ἀφορισμός. This did lay a reproach on him that was under it; and therefore that which is here added of ὀνειδίσωσι, reproach you, may perhaps be but an appendix, or consequent of that; but then the ἐκβάλλειν τὸ ὄνομα ὑμῶν ὡς πονηρόν, to cast out your name as evil, seems to refer to an higher degree, that of חרב, or anathema; for there is an Hebraism in that phrase; the word ὄνομα, name, signifies no more than person, (so many ὀνόματα, names, Acts i. 15, is so many men); ὄνομα ὑμῶν, your persons, you; and πονηρόν is scandalous, offensive, abominable; as בָּשָׂה is by the Septuagint sometimes rendered αἰσχύνομαι, being ashamed; sometimes βδελύττω, to abominate; sometimes πονηρός εἰμι, to be evil or wicked, Gen. xxxiv. 30. Esdr. iv. 12; and so to cast out your names as evil, will signify to cast out as wicked, shameful, abominable persons, a denotation of the חרב, which was the total casting out, and that with reproaches, curses and execrations added to it, such as in Moses are denounced against the greater malefactors. See more of this matter note [b] John ix.

Luke 6:23

Matt. v. 11.

m the wealth and great prosperities of this world are a sad presage to those which do not use them christianly: for all the good things or matters of comfort that belong to them they receive in this life.

Luke 6:25

All the worldlings’ present plenty will end in famine and misery, all their jollity in weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 6:26

Even a good reputation when it is popular and general, the universal applause of the men of this world, is a very ill sign, and that which hath been generally the false, not the true prophets’ portion. and from him that taketh away thy upper garment withhold not thy shirt or inner garment also. See note [r] on Matt. v.

Luke 6:30

Every man that truly wanteth (such is not he that maketh begging his trade, and refuseth to make use of his labour to sustain or rescue him from want) is the proper object of every man’s charity; and therefore no man that is thus qualified to receive, and by asking offers thee an opportunity, is to be rejected by thee: and liberality consisting of two branches, giving and lending freely without interest, do thou exercise both parts of it towards the poor; give to all distressed persons that ask from thee, and from him that wanteth and receiveth any loan from thee, exact no use.

[f] ask] What the word ἀπαιτείν here signifies will be worth the inquiry; for if it signify to require, or demand, or ask again, the prohibition will be somewhat strange, and not so agreeable, either to the context or to the duty of liberality here prescribed, that any thing but necessity should incline us to pitch on that interpretation. For if the ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴροντος τὰ σὰ, from him that taketh thy goods, be so interpreted as to understand his forcible or involuntary depriving thee, it will then be a means to offer up the Christian to the violence of every unjust person, and oblige him never to make use of Christian judicatures, or arbitrations, (which appear not to be forbidden the Christian, 1 Cor. vi. 4, 7.) to gain his own again, nay, not so much as to challenge or make claim to it when he finds it in another’s hands. Which, besides that it is not agreeable to any other precept of the gospel, is not at all pertinent to the business

Luke 6:31

And whatever you would think an act of duty or charity from others to you, if you were in their condition and they in yours, be ye careful to do the same for them. what thanks or reward can you expect? see 1 Peter ii. 19; for the very heathens (as publicans, Matt. v. 46.) are willing to pay kindnesses to them who have shewed them some first. the heathens lend to heathens, that at another time they may borrow as great a sum. borrow, ἀνολάβειν. that they may borrow as

Luke 6:35

[g] hoping for nothing again] The ἀπελπίζειν, compared with ἀπολαβείν going before, ver. 34, may seem to signify, proportionably to that, hoping for a return of kindness from him to whom kindness hath been shewed; and so as ἀπέχειν, ver. 24, signifies no more than ἔχειν ἀπὸ, to receive. So by analogy might ἀπελπίζειν be ἐλπίζειν ἀπὸ, to hope from. But the truth is, there is not in the Bible any such notion of the word ἀπελπίζω, but the word constantly signifies to distrust, or despair. So Esth. xiv. 19. Judith ix. 12. Isaiah xxix. 19, ἀπηλπισμένοι, forlorn persons, in a desperate condition. So also Ecclus. xxii. 22, μὴ ἀπελπίσης, fear not; and ch. xxvii. 21, ἀπήλπισεν, is without hope; and 2 Mac. ix. 18, ἀπελπίσας, despairing; and in all the Bible in no other sense but that of distrust, or despair. And this will very well agree with the context also; thus, The heathens give and lend to other men, knowing that they may want themselves; and so designing their present act of charity with reflection on themselves, that they to whom they lend or give may do as much for them at another time; but the Christian is to do his acts of charity without any such purpose or design of receiving any retribution from man, and yet need not distrust, or doubt, or be discouraged in his work. For though he lose that present advantage, yet God, who

Luke 6:37

Matt. vii. 1. Do not accuse (see note [d] on John xii.) or interpret other men’s words or actions uncharitably, lay not unfavourable censures on them, but deal with that candour toward others as you expect or desire God should do to you.

Luke 6:38

All your works of mercy and liberality shall be most abundantly repaid.

Luke 6:39

Another parable there was which Christ at some time used, though it seem not to have been spoken at the time when the former passages were delivered. See Matt. xv. 14.

every right true follower of Christ will be content to suffer what his Master suffers before him, Matt. x. 25, and that portion he must look for.

small thin shiver of wood

Luke 6:42

Matt. vii. 4.

distrusting nothing, and pit, Blower. shall be perfected as, paraphrasives foras by. shiver: see note [a] on Matt. vii.

Luke 6:43

For it is not thy supercilious finding fault or judging of others that will ever denominate thee good, unless thine own heart and practices be accordingly.

Luke 6:44

For every tree is discerned to be good by bringing forth that fruit which is proper to it, good of the kind.

Luke 6:45

Every man hath a treasury or repository within him, from whence all his actions are sent forth; he that hath an honest heart, a repository of good purposes and resolutions, on all occasions brings forth from thence good actions; and an evil man—

Luke 6:46

It is to little purpose for you to profess Christianity, to expect any good by that profession, unless your actions are suitable to my commands. 47, 48 Every disciple of mine that obeys my doctrine is to be compared to a builder, which in laying his foundation digged till he came to a firm rock, or hard stone, and laid his foundation upon that, and he had the benefit of it, no violence of wind or flood (parallel to which are the most boisterous temptations of the world) could shake his building, Matt. vii. 26.

Luke 6:49

But he that sinketh not down my precepts into his heart is like a man—