1UndG1161 es begabG1096 sich anG1722 einem SabbatG4521 G1207, daß erG846 durchsG1223 GetreideG4702 gingG1279; undG2532 seineG846 JüngerG3101 rauftenG5089 ÄhrenG4719 aus undG2532 aßenG2068 und riebenG5597 sie mit den HändenG5495. 2EtlicheG5100 aberG1161 der PharisäerG5330 sprachenG2036 zu ihnenG846: WarumG5101 tutG4160 ihr, wasG3739 sich nichtG3756 ziemtG1832 zu tunG4160 anG1722 den SabbatenG4521? 3UndG2532 JesusG2424 antworteteG611 und sprachG2036 zu ihnenG4314 G846 : Habt ihrG314 nichtG3761 dasG5124 gelesenG314, wasG3739 DavidG1138 tatG4160, daG3698 ihnG846 hungerteG3983 undG2532 dieG3588 mitG3326 ihmG846 warenG5607? 4wieG5613 er zumG1519 HauseG3624 GottesG2316 eingingG1525 undG2532 nahmG2983 die Schaubrote G740 G4286 undG2532 aßG5315 undG2532 gabG1325 auchG2532 denen, die mit ihmG846 warenG3326; dieG3739 doch niemandG3756 durfteG1832 essenG5315 alsG1508 die PriesterG2409 alleinG3441? 5UndG2532 er sprachG3004 zu ihnenG846: DesG3754 MenschenG444 SohnG5207 istG2076 ein HERRG2962 auchG2532 des SabbatsG4521. 6Es geschahG1096 aber G1161 G2532 anG1722 einem andernG2087 SabbatG4521, daß erG846 gingG1525 inG1519 die SchuleG4864 undG2532 lehrteG1321. UndG2532 daG1563 warG2258 ein MenschG444, des G2532 G846 rechteG1188 HandG5495 warG2258 verdorrtG3584. 7AberG1161 die SchriftgelehrtenG1122 undG2532 PharisäerG5330 lauertenG3906 darauf, obG1487 erG846 auch heilenG2323 würde amG1722 SabbatG4521, auf daßG2443 sieG2147 eine SacheG2724 wider ihnG846 fändenG2147. 8ErG846 aberG1161 merkteG1492 ihreG846 GedankenG1261 undG2532 sprachG2036 zu dem MenschenG444 mit G3588 G2192 der dürrenG3584 HandG5495: SteheG1453 auf undG2532 trittG2476 hervorG1519 G3319! UndG1161 er standG450 auf und tratG2476 dahin. 9DaG3767 sprachG2036 JesusG2424 zuG4314 ihnenG846: Ich frageG1905 euchG5209 G5101 : Was ziemtG1832 sich zu tunG15 an den SabbatenG4521, GutesG15 oderG2228 BösesG2554? das LebenG5590 erhaltenG4982 oderG2228 verderbenG622? 10UndG2532 er sahG4017 sieG846 alleG3956 umher anG4017 und sprachG2036 zu dem MenschenG444: StreckeG1614 deineG4675 HandG5495 aus! UndG1161 er tat’sG3779 G4160; daG2532 ward ihm seineG846 HandG5495 wieder zurechtgebrachtG600, gesundG5199 wieG5613 die andereG243. 11SieG846 aberG1161 wurden ganzG4130 unsinnigG454 undG2532 beredetenG1255 sich miteinanderG4314 G240, was G5101 G302 sie ihmG2424 tunG4160 wollten. 12Es begabG1096 sich aberG1161 zuG1722 derG5025 ZeitG2250, daß er gingG1831 aufG1519 einen BergG3735 zu betenG4336; undG2532 er bliebG1273 über Nacht G2258 G1273 inG1722 dem GebetG4335 zu GottG2316. 13UndG2532 daG3753 es TagG2250 wardG1096, riefG4377 er seineG846 JüngerG3101 undG2532 erwählteG1586 ihrer G575 G846 zwölfG1427, welcheG3739 er auchG2532 ApostelG652 nannteG3687: 14SimonG4613, welchenG3739 erG2532 PetrusG4074 nannteG3687, undG2532 AndreasG406, seinenG846 BruderG80, JakobusG2385 undG2532 JohannesG2491, PhilippusG5376 undG2532 BartholomäusG918, 15MatthäusG3156 undG2532 ThomasG2381, JakobusG2385, desG3588 AlphäusG256 Sohn,G2532 SimonG4613 genanntG2564 ZelotesG2208, 16JudasG2455, des JakobusG2385 Sohn undG2532 JudasG2455 IschariotG2469, den G2532 G3739 VerräterG4273. 17UndG2532 er ging herniederG2597 mitG3326 ihnenG846 und tratG2476 aufG1909 einen Platz im Felde G3977 G5117 undG2532 der HaufeG3793 seinerG846 JüngerG3101 undG2532 eine großeG4183 MengeG4128 des VolksG2992 vonG575 allemG3956 jüdischenG2449 Lande undG2532 JerusalemG2419 undG2532 TyrusG5184 undG2532 SidonG4605, am MeerG3882 gelegen, 18dieG3739 da gekommenG2064 waren, ihnG846 zu hörenG191 undG2532 daß sie geheiltG2390 würden vonG575 ihrenG846 SeuchenG3554; undG2532 die vonG5259 unsaubernG169 GeisternG4151 umgetriebenG3791 wurden,G2532 die wurden gesundG2323. 19UndG2532 allesG3956 VolkG3793 begehrteG2212 ihnG846 anzurührenG680; dennG3754 es gingG1831 KraftG1411 vonG3844 ihmG846 undG2532 er heilteG2390 sie alleG3956. 20UndG2532 erG846 hobG1869 seineG846 AugenG3788 auf überG1519 seineG846 JüngerG3101 und sprachG3004: SeligG3107 seid ihr ArmenG4434; dennG3754 das ReichG932 GottesG2316 istG2076 euerG5212. 21SeligG3107 seid ihr, die ihr hierG3568 hungertG3983; dennG3754 ihr sollt sattG5526 werden. SeligG3107 seid ihr, die ihr hierG3568 weinetG2799; dennG3754 ihr werdet lachenG1070. 22SeligG3107 seid ihrG2075, soG3752 euchG5209 die MenschenG444 hassenG3404 und G2532 G3752 euchG5209 absondernG873 undG2532 scheltenG3679 euch undG2532 verwerfenG1544 eurenG5216 NamenG3686 alsG5613 einen bösenG4190 um des Menschensohns G444 G5207 willenG1752. 23FreuetG5463 euch alsdann G1565 G1722 G2250 undG2532 hüpfetG4640; dennG1063 sieheG2400, euerG5216 LohnG3408 ist großG4183 imG1722 HimmelG3772.G1063 Desgleichen G2596 G5024 tatenG4160 ihreG846 VäterG3962 den ProphetenG4396 auch. 24AberG4133 dagegen wehG3759 euchG5213 ReichenG4145! dennG3754 ihr habtG568 eurenG5216 TrostG3874 dahinG568. 25WehG3759 euchG5213, die ihr vollG1705 seid! dennG3754 euch wird hungernG3983. WehG3759 euchG5213, die ihr hierG3568 lachetG1070! dennG3754 ihr werdet weinenG3996 undG2532 heulenG2799. 26WehG3759 euchG5213, wennG3752 euch jedermann G3956 G444 wohlredetG2573 G2036 G5209! Desgleichen G5024 G1063 G2596 tatenG4160 ihreG846 VäterG3962 den falschen ProphetenG5578 auch. 27AberG235 ich sageG3004 euchG5213, dieG3588 ihr zuhöretG191: LiebetG25 eureG5216 FeindeG2190; tutG4160 denen wohlG2573, dieG3588 euchG5209 hassenG3404; 28segnetG2127 die, so euchG5213 verfluchenG2672;G2532 bittetG4336 fürG5228 die, so euchG5209 beleidigenG1908. 29Und wer dichG4571 schlägtG5180 aufG1909 einen BackenG4600, dem bieteG3930 den andernG243 auchG2532 dar; undG2532 werG575 dirG4675 den MantelG2440 nimmtG142, dem wehreG2967 nichtG3361 auchG2532 den RockG5509. 30 Wer G1161 G3956 dichG4571 bittetG154, dem gibG1325; undG2532 werG575 dir das DeineG4674 nimmtG142, da fordereG3361 es nichtG523 wieder. 31UndG2532 wieG2531 ihr wolltG2309, daßG2443 euchG5213 die LeuteG444 tunG4160 sollen, alsoG3668 tutG4160 ihnenG846 gleich auchG2532 ihrG5210. 32UndG2532 soG1487 ihr liebetG25, die euchG5209 liebenG25, wasG4169 für DankG5485 habtG2076 ihrG5213 davon? DennG1063 die SünderG268 liebenG25 auchG2532 ihreG846 LiebhaberG25. 33UndG2532 wennG1437 ihr eurenG5209 WohltäternG15 wohltutG15, wasG4169 für DankG5485 habtG2076 ihrG5213 davon? DennG1063 die SünderG268 tunG4160 dasG2532 auchG846. 34UndG2532 wennG1437 ihr leihetG1155, vonG3844 denenG3739 ihr hoffet G1679 G1679 zu nehmenG618, wasG4169 für DankG5485 habtG2076 ihrG5213 davon? DennG1063 die SünderG268 leihenG1155 den SündernG268 auchG2532, aufG2443 daß sie GleichesG2470 wieder nehmenG618. 35VielmehrG4133 liebetG25 eureG5216 FeindeG2190;G2532 tut wohlG15 undG2532 leihetG1155, daß ihr nichtsG3367 dafür hoffetG560,G2532 so wirdG2071 euerG5216 LohnG3408 großG4183 seinG2071, undG2532 ihrG2071 werdet KinderG5207 des AllerhöchstenG5310 seinG2071; dennG3754 erG846 istG2076 gütigG5543 überG1909 die UndankbarenG884 undG2532 BösenG4190. 36DarumG3767 seidG1096 barmherzigG3629, wieG2531 auchG2532 euerG5216 VaterG3962 barmherzigG3629 istG2076. 37RichtetG2919 nichtG3361, soG2532 werdetG2919 ihr auch nichtG3364 gerichtetG2919. VerdammetG2613 nichtG3361, soG2532 werdetG2613 ihr nichtG3364 verdammtG2613. VergebetG630, soG2532 wird euch vergebenG630. 38GebetG1325, soG2532 wird euchG5213 gegebenG1325. Ein vollG2570, gedrücktG4085, gerütteltG4531 undG2532 überflüssigG5240 MaßG3358 wird manG1325 inG1519 eurenG5216 SchoßG2859 gebenG1325; dennG1063 ebenG846 mit dem MaßG3358, mitG3739 dem ihr messetG3354, wird man euchG5213 wiederG488 messen. 39UndG1161 er sagteG2036 ihnenG846 ein GleichnisG3850 :G3385 KannG1410 auch ein BlinderG5185 einem BlindenG5185 den Weg weisenG3594? Werden sie nichtG3780 alle beideG297 inG1519 die GrubeG999 fallenG4098? 40Der JüngerG3101 istG2076 nichtG3756 überG5228 seinenG846 MeisterG1320; wennG1161 der JüngerG3956 istG2071 wieG5613 seinG846 MeisterG1320, so ist er vollkommenG2675. 41WasG5101 siehestG991 du aberG1161 einen SplitterG2595 inG1722 deinesG4675 BrudersG80 AugeG3788, undG1161 des BalkensG1385 inG1722 deinemG2398 AugeG3788 wirst du nichtG3756 gewahrG2657? 42OderG2228 wieG4459 kannst duG1410 sagenG3004 zu deinemG4675 BruderG80: Halt stille, BruderG80, ich willG863 denG1722 SplitterG2595 ausG1544 deinemG4675 AugeG3788 ziehenG1544, und du siehstG991 selbstG846 nichtG3756 den BalkenG1385 inG1722 deinemG4675 AugeG3788? Du HeuchlerG5273, ziehG1544 zuvorG4412 den BalkenG1385 aus G1537 G1544 deinemG4675 AugeG3788 undG2532 sieheG1227 dannG5119 zu, daß du den SplitterG2595 ausG1722 deinesG4675 BrudersG80 AugeG3788 ziehestG1544! 43DennG1063 es ist keinG3756 guterG2570 BaumG1186, der fauleG4550 FruchtG2590 trageG4160 G2076, und keinG3761 faulerG4550 BaumG1186, der guteG2570 FruchtG2590 trageG4160. 44EinG1063 jeglicherG1538 BaumG1186 wird anG1537 seiner eigenenG2398 FruchtG2590 erkanntG1097. DennG1063 man liestG4816 nichtG3756 FeigenG4810 vonG1537 den DornenG173, auchG3761 liestG5166 man nichtG3761 TraubenG4718 vonG1537 den HeckenG942. 45Ein guterG18 MenschG444 bringtG4393 GutesG18 hervorG4393 ausG1537 dem gutenG18 SchatzG2344 seinesG846 HerzensG2588; undG2532 ein böserG4190 MenschG444 bringtG4393 BösesG4190 hervorG4393 ausG1537 dem bösenG4190 SchatzG2344 seinesG846 HerzensG2588. DennG1063 wes das HerzG2588 voll G1537 G4051 ist, desG846 gehtG2980 der MundG4750 überG2980. 46WasG5101 heißetG2564 ihr michG3165 aberG1161 HERRG2962, HERRG2962, undG2532 tutG4160 nichtG3756, wasG3739 ich euch sageG3004? 47WerG3956 zuG4314 mirG3165 kommtG2064 undG2532 hörtG191 meineG3450 RedeG3056 undG2532 tutG4160 sieG846, den will ich euchG5213 zeigenG5263, wemG5101 er gleichG3664 istG2076. 48Er istG2076 gleichG3664 einem MenschenG444, derG3739 ein HausG3614 bauteG3618 undG2532 grubG4626 tiefG900 undG2532 legteG5087 den GrundG2310 aufG1909 den FelsG4073. Da aberG1161 GewässerG4132 kamG1096, da rißG4366 der StromG4215 zumG1565 HauseG3614 zu, undG2532 konnteG2480 esG846 nichtG3756 bewegenG4531; dennG1063 es war aufG1909 den FelsG4073 gegründetG2311. 49Wer aberG1161 hörtG191 undG2532 nichtG3361 tutG4160, der istG2076 gleichG3664 einem MenschenG444, der ein HausG3614 bauteG3618 aufG1909 die ErdeG1093 ohneG5565 GrundG2310; und der StromG4215 rißG4366 zu ihm zu, undG2532 esG3739 fielG4098 alsbaldG2112, undG2532 dasG1565 HausG3614 gewannG1096 einen großenG3173 RißG4485.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 These two passages of story we had both in Matthew and Mark, and they were there laid together (
Matt 12:1;
Mark 2:23;
Mark 3:1), because, though happening at some distance of time from each other, both were designed to rectify the mistakes of the scribes and Pharisees concerning the sabbath day, on the
bodily rest of which they laid greater stress and required greater strictness than the Law-giver intended. Here,
I. Christ justifies his disciples in a
work of necessity for themselves on that day, and that was
plucking the ears of corn, when they were hungry on that day. This story here has a date, which we had not in the other evangelists; it was
on the second sabbath after the first (
Luke 6:1), that is, as Dr. Whitby thinks is pretty clear, the
first sabbath after the second day of unleavened bread, from which day they reckoned the
seven weeks to the feast of pentecost; the first of which they called
Sabbaton deuteroproton , the second
deuterodeuteron , and so on. Blessed be God we need not be critical in this matter. Whether this circumstance be mentioned to intimate that this sabbath was thought to have some peculiar honour upon it, which aggravated the offence of the disciples, or only to intimate that, being the first sabbath after the offering of the first fruits, it was the time of the year when the corn was nearly ripe, is not material. We may observe, 1. Christ's disciples ought not to be nice and curious in their diet, at any time, especially on sabbath days, but take up with what is easiest got, and be thankful. These disciples
plucked the ears of corn, and did eat (
Luke 6:1); a little served them, and that which had no delicacy in it. 2. Many that are themselves guilty of the greatest crimes are forward to censure others for the most innocent and inoffensive actions,
Luke 6:2. The Pharisees quarrelled with them as doing that which it
was not lawful to do on the sabbath days, when it was their own practice to feed deliciously on sabbath days, more than on all other days. 3. Jesus Christ will justify his disciples when they are unjustly censured, and will own and accept of them in many a thing which men tell them
it is not lawful for them to do. How well is it for us that men are not to be our judges, and that Christ will be our Advocate! 4. Ceremonial appointments may be dispensed with, in cases of necessity; as the appropriating of the showbread to the priests was dispensed with, when David was by Providence brought into such a strait that he must have either that or none,
Luke 6:3,
Luke 6:4. And, if God's own appointments might be thus set aside for a greater good, much more may the traditions of men. 5. Works of necessity are particularly allowable on the sabbath day; but we must take heed that we turn not this liberty into licentiousness, and abuse God's favourable concessions and condescensions to the prejudice of the work of the day. 6. Jesus Christ, though he allowed works of necessity on the sabbath day, will notwithstanding have us to know and remember that it is his day, and therefore is to be spent in his service and to his honour (
Luke 6:5):
The Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. In the kingdom of the Redeemer, the sabbath day is to be turned into a
Lord's day; the property of it is, in some respects, to be altered, and it is to be observed chiefly in honour of the Redeemer, as it had been before in honour of the Creator,
Jer 16:14,
Jer 16:15. In token of this, it shall not only have a new name, the
Lord's day (yet not forgetting the old, for it is a sabbath of rest still) but shall be transferred to a new day, the first day of the week.
II. He justifies himself in doing
works of mercy for others on the sabbath day. Observe in this, 1. Christ on the sabbath day
entered into the synagogue. Note, It is our duty, as we have opportunity, to sanctify sabbaths in religious assemblies. On the sabbath there ought to be a
holy convocation; and our place must not be empty without very good reason. 2. In the synagogue, on the sabbath day,
he taught. Giving and receiving instruction from Christ is very proper work for a sabbath day, and for a
synagogue. Christ took all opportunities to teach, not only his disciples, but the multitude. 3. Christ's patient was one of his hearers.
A man whose right hand was withered came to learn from Christ. Whether he had any expectation to be healed by him does not appear. But those that would be
cured by the grace of Christ must be willing to
learn the doctrine of Christ. 4. Among those who were the hearers of Christ's excellent doctrine, and the eye-witnesses of his glorious miracles, there were some who came with no other design than to pick quarrels with him,
Luke 6:7. The scribes and Pharisees would not, as became
generous adversaries, give him fair warning that, if he did
heal on the sabbath day, they would construe it into a violation of the fourth commandment, which they ought in honour and justice to have done, because it was a case
without precedent (none having ever cured as he did), but they basely
watched him, as the lion does his prey, whether he would
heal on the sabbath day, that they might find an accusation against him, and surprise him with a prosecution. 5. Jesus Christ was neither
ashamed nor
afraid to own the purposes of his grace, in the face of those who, he knew, confronted them,
Luke 6:8.
He knew their faults, and what they designed, and he bade the man
rise, and stand forth, hereby to try the patient's faith and boldness. 6. He appealed to his adversaries themselves, and to the convictions of natural conscience, whether it was the design of the fourth commandment to restrain men from doing good on the sabbath day, that good which their hand finds to do, which they have an opportunity for, and which cannot so well be put off to another time (
Luke 6:9):
Is it lawful to do good, or evil, on the sabbath days? No wicked men are such
absurd and
unreasonable men as
persecutors are, who study to
do evil to men for
doing good. 7. He healed the poor man, and restored him to the present use of his right hand, with a word's speaking, though he knew that his enemies would not only take offence at it, but take advantage against him for it,
Luke 6:10. Let not us be drawn off, either from our duty or usefulness, by the oppression we meet with in it. 8. His adversaries were hereby enraged so much the more against him,
Luke 6:11. Instead of being convinced by this miracle, as they ought to have been, that he was a teacher come from God, - instead of being brought to be in love with him as a benefactor to mankind, - they were
filled with madness, vexed that they could not frighten him from doing good, or hinder the growth of his interest in the affections of the people. They were
mad at Christ,
mad at the people,
mad at themselves. Anger is a
short madness, malice is a
long one;
impotent malice, especially
disappointed malice; such was theirs. When they could not prevent his working this miracle, they
communed one with another what they might do to Jesus, what other way they might take to run him down. We may well stand amazed at it that the sons of men should be so wicked as to do thus, and that the Son of God should be so patient as to suffer it.
12 In these verses, we have our Lord Jesus in
secret, in
his family, and in
public; and in all three acting like himself.
I. In
secret we have him
praying to God, Luke 6:12. This evangelist takes frequent notice of Christ's retirements, to give us an example of secret prayer, by which we must keep up our communion with God daily, and without which it is impossible that the soul should prosper.
In those days, when his enemies were filled with madness against him, and were contriving what to do to him, he went out to
pray; that he might answer the type of David (
Pss 109:4),
For my love, they are my adversaries; but I give myself unto prayer. Observe, 1. He was
alone with God; he
went out into a mountain, to pray, where he might have no disturbance or interruption given him; we are never less alone than when we are
thus alone. Whether there was any convenient place built upon this mountain, for devout people to retire to for their private devotions, as some think, and that that
oratory, or
place of prayer, is meant here by
he proseuche tou theou , to me seems very uncertain. He went into a mountain for privacy, and therefore, probably, would not go to a place frequented by others. 2. He was
long alone with God:
He continued all night in prayer. We think one half hour a great deal to spend in the
duties of the closet; but Christ continued a
whole night in meditation and secret prayer. We have a great deal of
business at the throne of grace, and we should take a great
delight in communion with God, and by both these we may be kept sometimes long at prayer.
II. In his
family we have him nominating his immediate attendants, that should be the constant auditors of his doctrine and eye-witnesses of his miracles, that hereafter they might be sent forth as
apostles, his
messengers to the world, to preach his gospel to it, and plant his church in it,
Luke 6:13. After he had
continued all night in prayer, one would have thought that,
when it was day, he should have reposed himself, and got some sleep. No, as soon as any body was stirring, he
called unto him his disciples. In serving God, our great care should be, not to
lose time, but to make the end of one good duty the beginning of another. Ministers are to be ordained with
prayer more than ordinarily
solemn. The number of the apostles was
twelve. Their names are here recorded; it is the
third time that we have met with them, and in each of the
three places the
order of them differs, to teach both ministers and Christians not to be nice in precedency, not in
giving it, much less in
taking it, but to look upon it as a thing not worth taking notice of; let it be as it lights. He that in Mark was called
Thaddeus, in Matthew
Lebbeus, whose surname was
Thaddeus, is here called
Judas the brother of James, the same that wrote the epistle of Jude. Simon, who in Matthew and Mark was called the
Canaanite, is here called
Simon Zelotes, perhaps for his great zeal in religion. Concerning these twelve here named we have reason to say, as the queen of Sheba did of Solomon's servants,
Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom; never were men so privileged, and yet one of them had a devil, and proved a traitor (
Luke 6:16); yet Christ, when he chose him, was not deceived in him.
III. In
public we have him
preaching and
healing, the two great works between which he divided his time,
Luke 6:17. He came down with the twelve from the mountain, and
stood in the plain, ready to receive those that resorted to him; and there were presently gathered about him, not only the
company of his disciples, who used to attend him, but also a great
multitude of people, a mixed multitude
out of all Judea and Jerusalem. Though it was some scores of miles from Jerusalem to that part of Galilee where Christ now was, - though at Jerusalem they had abundance of famous rabbin, that had great names, and bore a mighty sway, - yet they came to hear Christ. They came also from the
sea-coast of Tyre and Sidon. Though they who lived there were generally men of business, and though they bordered upon Canaanites, yet there were some well affected to Christ; such there were dispersed in all parts, here and there one. 1. They
came to hear him and he
preached to them. Those that have not good preaching near them had better travel far for it than be without it. It is worth while to go a great way to hear the word of Christ, and to go out of the way of other business for it. 2. They came to be
cured by him, and he
healed them. Some were troubled
in body, and some
in mind; some had
diseases, some had
devils; but both the one and the other, upon their application to Christ, were
healed, for he has power over
diseases and
devils (
Luke 6:17,
Luke 6:18), over the effects and over the causes. Nay, it should seem, those who had no
particular diseases to complain of yet found it a great confirmation and renovation to their bodily
health and
vigour to partake of the
virtue that went out of him; for (
Luke 6:19)
the whole multitude sought to touch him, those that were in health as well as those that were sick, and they were all, one way or other, the better for him: he
healed them all; and who is there that doth not need, upon some account or other, to be
healed? There is a
fulness of grace in Christ, and healing virtue in him, and ready to go out from him, that is enough for all, enough for each.
20 Here begins a practical discourse of Christ, which is continued to the end of the chapter, most of which is found in the
sermon upon the mount, Mt. 5 and 7. Some think that this was preached at some other time and place, and there are other instances of Christ's preaching the same things, or to the same purport, at different times; but it is probable that this is only the evangelist's abridgment of that sermon, and perhaps that in Matthew too is but an abridgment; the beginning and the conclusion are much the same; and the story of the cure of the centurion's servant follows presently upon it, both there and here, but it is not material. In these verses, we have,
I. Blessings pronounced upon
suffering saints, as
happy people, though the world
pities them (
Luke 6:20): He
lifted up his eyes upon his disciples, not only the
twelve, but the whole
company of them (
Luke 6:17), and directed his discourse to them; for, when he had healed the sick in
the plain, he went up again
to the mountain, to preach. There he
sat, as one having authority; thither
they come to him (
Matt 5:1), and to them he directed his discourse, to them he applied it, and taught them to apply it to themselves. When he had laid it down for a truth,
Blessed are the poor in spirit, he added,
Blessed are ye poor. All believers, that take the precepts of the gospel to themselves, and
live by them may take the promises of the gospel to themselves and
live upon them. And the application, as it is here, seems especially designed to encourage the disciples, with reference to the hardships and difficulties they were likely to meet with, in following Christ.
1. You are
poor, you have
left all to follow me, are content to live upon alms with me, are never to expect any worldly preferment in my service. You must work hard, and fare hard, as poor people do; but you are blessed in your poverty, it shall be no prejudice at all to your happiness; nay, you are blessed
for it, all your losses shall be abundantly made up to you, for
yours is the kingdom of God, all the comforts and graces of his kingdom here and all the glories and joys of his kingdom hereafter; yours it
shall be, nay, yours
it is. Christ's
poor are
rich in faith, James 2:5.
2. You
hunger now (
Luke 6:21), you are not
fed to the full as others are, you often rise hungry, your
commons are so
short; or you are so intent upon your work that you have not time to eat bread, you are glad of a few
ears of corn for a meal's meat; thus you hunger now in this world, but in the other world
you shall be filled, shall
hunger no more, nor
thirst any more. 3. You
weep now, are often in tears, tears of repentance, tears of sympathy; you are of them that mourn in Zion. But
blessed are you; your present sorrows are no
prejudices to your future joy, but
preparatories for it:
You shall laugh. You have triumphs in reserve; you are but
sowing in tears, and shall shortly
reap in joy, Pss 126:5,
Pss 126:6. They that now
sorrow after a godly sort are treasuring up comforts for themselves, or, rather, God is treasuring up comforts for them; and the day is coming when their
mouth shall be filled with laughing and their lips with rejoicing, Job 8:21.
4. You now undergo
the world's ill will. You must expect all the base treatment that a spiteful world can give you for Christ's sake, because you serve him and his interests; you must expect that wicked men will
hate you, because your doctrine and life convict and condemn them; and those that have church-power in their hands will
separate you, will force you to separate yourselves, and then excommunicate you for so doing, and lay you under the most ignominious censures. They will pronounce anathemas against you, as scandalous and incorrigible offenders. They will do this with all possible gravity and solemnity, and pomp and pageantry of appeals to Heaven, to make the world believe, and almost you yourselves too, that it is ratified in heaven. Thus will they endeavour to make you odious to others and a terror to yourselves. This is supposed to be the proper notion of
aphorisosin humas -
they shall cast you out of their synagogues. And they that have not this power will not fail to show their malice, to the utmost of their power; for
they will reproach you, will charge you with the blackest crimes, which you are perfectly innocent of, will fasten upon you the blackest characters, which you do not deserve; they will
cast out your name as evil, your name as Christians, as apostles; they will do all they can to render these names odious. This is the application of the eighth beatitude,
Matt 5:10-
Matt 5:12.
Such usage as this seems hard; but
blessed are you when you are so used. It is so far from depriving you of your happiness that it will greatly add to it. It is an honour to you, as it is to a brave hero to be employed in the wars, in the service of his prince; and therefore
rejoice you in that day, and leap for joy, Luke 6:23. Do not only
bear it, but
triumph in it. For, (1.) You are hereby
highly dignified in the
kingdom of grace, for you are treated as the prophets were before you, and therefore not only need not be ashamed of it, but may justly rejoice in it, for it will be an evidence for you that you
walk in the same spirit, and
in the same steps, are engaged in the same cause, and employed in the same service, with them. (2.) You will for this be abundantly
recompensed in the
kingdom of glory; not only your services for Christ, but your sufferings will come into the account:
Your reward is great in heaven. Venture upon your sufferings, in a full belief that the glory of heaven will abundantly countervail all these hardships; so that, though you may be losers for Christ, you shall not be losers by him in the end.
II.
Woes denounced against
prospering sinners as miserable people, though the world
envies them. These we had not in Matthew. It should seem, the best exposition of
these woes, compared with the foregoing
blessings, is the parable of the
rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus had the blessedness of those that are
poor, and
hunger, and
weep, now, for in Abraham's bosom all the promises made to them who did so were
made good to him; but the rich man had the
woes that follow here, as he had the character of those on whom these woes are entailed.
1. Here is a
woe to them that are
rich, that is, that
trust in riches, that have abundance of this world's wealth, and, instead of serving God with it, serve their lusts with it; woe to them, for
they have received their consolation, that which they placed their happiness in, and were willing to take up with for a portion,
Luke 6:24. They in their life-time received
their good things, which, in their account, were the
best things, and all the good things they are ever likely to receive from God. You that are
rich are in temptation to
set your hearts upon a
smiling world, and to say,
Soul, take thine ease in the embraces of it,
This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell; and
then woe unto you. (1.) It is the
folly of carnal worldlings that they make the things of this world
their consolation, which were intended only for their
convenience. They please themselves with them, pride themselves in them, and make them their heaven upon earth; and to them the
consolations of God are small, and of no account. (2.) It is their misery that they are
put off with them as
their consolation. Let them know it, to their terror, when they are parted from these things, there is an end of all their comfort, a final end of it, and nothing remains to them but everlasting misery and torment.
2. Here is a
woe to them that are
full (
Luke 6:25), that are
fed to the full, and have
more than heart could wish (
Pss 73:7), that have their
bellies filled with the hid treasures of this world (
Pss 17:14), that, when they have abundance of these, are
full, and think they have
enough, they
need no more, they
desire no more, Revel 3:17.
Now ye are full, now ye are rich, 1Cor 4:8. They are
full of themselves, without God and Christ. Woe to such, for
they shall hunger, they shall shortly be
stripped and
emptied of all the things they are so proud of; and, when they shall have
left behind them in the world all those things which are their fulness, they shall
carry away with them such appetites and desires as the world they remove to will afford them no gratifications of; for all the delights of sense, which they are now so full of, will in hell be
denied, and in heaven
superseded. 3. Here is a
woe to them that
laugh now, that have always a
disposition to be merry, and always something to
make merry with; that know no other joy than that which is carnal and sensual, and know no other use of this world's good than purely to indulge that carnal sensual joy that banishes sorrow, even godly sorrow, from their minds, and are always entertaining themselves with the laughter of the fool.
Woe unto such, for it is but
now, for a little time, that they
laugh; they shall
mourn and weep shortly, shall
mourn and weep eternally, in a world where there is nothing but
weeping and wailing, endless, easeless, and remediless sorrow.
4. Here is a
woe to them
whom all men speak well of, that is, who make it their great and only care to gain the praise and applause of men, who value themselves upon that more than upon the favour of God and his acceptance (
Luke 6:26):
Woe unto you; that is, it would be a bad sign that you were not faithful to your trust, and to the souls of men, if you preached so as that nobody would be disgusted; for your business is to tell people of their faults, and, if you do that as you ought, you will get that
ill will which never
speaks well. The false prophets indeed, that flattered your father in their wicked ways, that
prophesied smooth things to them, were caressed and spoken well of; and, if you be in like manner cried up, you will be justly suspected to deal deceitfully as they did. We should desire to have the approbation of those that are wise and good, and not be indifferent to what people say of us; but, as we should despise the reproaches, so we should also despise the praises, of the fools in Israel.
27 These verses agree with
Matt 5:38, to the end of that chapter:
I say unto you that hear (
Luke 6:27), to all you that hear, and not to disciples only, for these are lessons of universal concern.
He that has an ear, let him hear. Those that diligently hearken to Christ shall find he has something to say to them well worth their hearing. Now the lessons Christ here teacheth us are,
I. That we must render to all their due, and be honest and just in all our dealings (
Luke 6:31):
As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise; for this is
loving your neighbour as yourselves. What we should expect, in reason, to be done to us, either in justice or charity, by others, if they were in our condition and we in theirs, that, as the matter stands, we must do to them. We must
put our souls into their souls' stead, and then pity and succour them, as we should desire and justly expect to be ourselves pitied and succoured.
II. That we must be free in
giving to them that
need (
Luke 6:30):
Give to every man that asketh of thee, to every one that is a proper object of charity, that wants necessaries, which thou hast wherewithal to supply out of thy superfluities. Give to those that are not able to help themselves, to those that have not relations in a capacity to help them. Christ would have his disciples ready to distribute, and willing to communicate,
to their power in ordinary cases, and beyond their power in extraordinary.
III. That we must be generous in
forgiving those that have been any way injurious to us.
1. We must not be
extreme in
demanding our right, when it is denied us:
Him that taketh away thy cloak, either forcibly or fraudulently,
forbid him not by any violent means to
take thy coat also, Luke 6:29. Let him have that too, rather than fight for it. And (
Luke 6:30)
of him that taketh thy goods (so Dr. Hammond thinks it should be read), that borrows them, or that
takes them up from thee upon trust, of such do not
exact them; if Providence have made such insolvent, do not take the advantage of the law against them, but rather lose it than
take them by the throat, Matt 18:28. If a man run away in thy debt, and
take away thy goods with him, do not perplex thyself, nor be incensed against him.
2. We must not be rigorous in revenging a wrong when it is done us:
Unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, instead of bringing an action against him, or sending for a writ for him, or bringing him before a justice,
offer also the other; that is, pass it by, though thereby thou shouldest be in danger of bringing upon thyself another like in dignity, which is commonly pretended in excuse of taking the advantage of the law in such a case. If any one
smite thee on the cheek, rather than give another blow to him, be ready to receive another from him; that is, leave it to God to plead thy cause, and do thou sit down silent under the affront. When we do thus, God will
smite our enemies, as far as they are his,
upon the cheek bone, so as to
break the teeth of the ungodly (
Pss 3:7); for he hath said,
Vengeance is mine, and he will make it appear that it is so when we leave it to him to take vengeance.
3. Nay, we must
do good to them that do evil to us. This is that which our Saviour, in these verses, chiefly designs to teach us, as a law peculiar to his religion, and a branch of the perfection of it.
(1.) We must be kind to those from whom we have
received injuries. We must not only
love our enemies, and bear a good will to them, but we must
do good to them, be as ready to do any good office to them as to any other person, if their case call for it, and it be in the power of our hands to do it. We must study to make it appear, by positive acts, if there be an opportunity for them, that we bear them no malice, nor see revenge. Do they
curse us, speak ill of us, and wish ill to us? Do they
despitefully use us, in word or deed? Do they endeavour to make us contemptible or odious? Let us
bless them, and
pray for them, speak well of them, the best we can, wish well to them, especially to their souls, and be intercessors with God for them. This is repeated,
Luke 6:35 :
love your enemies, and
do them good. To recommend this difficult duty to us, it is represented as a generous thing, and an attainment few arrive at.
To love those that love us has nothing
uncommon in it, nothing peculiar to Christ's disciples, for
sinners will
love those that love them. There is nothing self-denying in that; it is but following nature, even in its corrupt state, and puts no force at all upon it (
Luke 6:32): it is no thanks to us to love those that say and do just as we would have them. And (
Luke 6:33)
if you do good to them that do good to you, and return their kindnesses, it is from a common principle of custom, honour, and gratitude; and therefore
what thanks have you? What credit are you to the name of Christ, or what reputation do you bring to it? for
sinners also, that know nothing of Christ and his doctrine,
do even the same. But it becomes you to do something more excellent and eminent, herein to out-do your neighbours, to do that which sinners will not do, and which no principle of theirs can pretend to reach to: you must
render good for evil; not that any thanks are due to us, but
then we are to our God
for a name and a praise and he will have the thanks.
(2.) We must be kind to those from whom we expect no manner of advantage (
Luke 6:35):
Lend, hoping for nothing again. It is meant of the rich lending to the poor a little money for their necessity, to buy daily bread for themselves and their families, or to keep them out of prison. In such a case, we must
lend, with a resolution not to demand interest for what we lend, as we may most justly from those that borrow money to make purchases withal, or to trade with. But that is not all; we must
lend though we have reason to suspect that what we
lend we
lose, lend to those who are so poor that it is not probable they will be able to pay us again. This precept will be best illustrated by that law of Moses (
Deut 15:7-
Deut 15:10), which obliges them to lend to a
poor brother as much as he
needed, though the
year of release was at hand. Here are two motives to this generous charity.
[1.] It will redound to our profit; for our
reward shall be great, Luke 6:35. What is given, or laid out, or lent and lost on earth, from a true principle of charity, will be made up to us in the other world, unspeakably to our advantage. You shall not only be
repaid, but
rewarded, greatly rewarded; it will be said to you,
Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom. [2.] It will redound to our honour; for herein we shall resemble God in his goodness, which is the greatest glory:
Ye shall be the children of the Highest, shall be owned by him as his children, being like him. It is the glory of God that he is
kind to the unthankful and to the evil, bestows the gifts of common providence even upon the worst of men, who are every day provoking him, and rebelling against him, and using those very gifts to his dishonour. Hence he infers (
Luke 6:36),
Be merciful, as your Father is merciful; this explains
Matt 5:48,
Be perfect, as our Father is perfect. Imitate your Father in those things that are his brightest perfections. Those that are
merciful as God is
merciful, even
to the evil and the unthankful, are
perfect as God is
perfect; so he is pleased graciously to accept it, though infinitely falling short. Charity is called the
bond of perfectness, Colos 3:14. This should strongly engage us to be merciful to our brethren, even such as have been injurious to us, not only that God is so to others, but that he is so to us, though we have been, and are, evil and unthankful; it is of his mercies that
we are not consumed.
37 All these sayings of Christ we had before in Matthew; some of them in ch. 7, others in other places. They were sayings that Christ often used; they needed only to be mentioned, it was easy to apply them. Grotius thinks that we need not be critical here in seeking for the coherence: they are golden sentences, like Solomon's proverbs or parables. Let us observe here,
I. We ought to be very candid in our censures of others, because we need grains of allowance ourselves: Therefore
judge not others, because then
you yourselves
shall not be judged; therefore
condemn not others, because then
you yourselves
shall not be condemned, Luke 6:37. Exercise towards others that charity which
thinks no evil, which
bears all things, believes and
hopes all things; and then others will exercise that charity towards you. God will not
judge and
condemn you, men will not. They that are merciful to other people's names shall find others merciful to theirs.
II. If we are of a
giving and a
forgiving spirit, we shall ourselves reap the benefit of it:
Forgive and you shall be forgiven. If we forgive the injuries done to us by others, others will forgive our inadvertencies. If we forgive others' trespasses against
us, God will forgive our trespasses against
him. And he will be no less mindful of the
liberal that
devise liberal things (
Luke 6:38):
Give, and it shall be given to you. God, in his providence, will recompense it to you; it is
lent to him, and
he is not unrighteous to forget it (
Hebre 6:10), but he will
pay it again. Men shall
return it into your bosom; for God often makes use of
men as instruments, not only of his
avenging, but of his
rewarding justice. If we in a right manner give to others when they need, God will incline the hearts of others to give to us when we need, and to give liberally,
good measure pressed down and shaken together. They that
sow plentifully shall
reap plentifully. Whom God recompenses he recompenses
abundantly. III. We must expect to be dealt with ourselves as we deal with others:
With the same measure that ye mete it shall be measured to you again. Those that deal
hardly with others must acknowledge, as Adoni-bezek did (
Judg 1:7), that God is righteous, if others deal hardly with them, and they may expect to be paid in their own coin; but they that deal
kindly with others have reason to hope that, when they have occasion, God will raise them up friends who will deal kindly with them. Though Providence does not always go by this rule, because the full and exact retributions are reserved for another world, yet, ordinarily, it observes a proportion sufficient to deter us from all acts of rigour and to encourage us in all acts of beneficence.
IV. Those who put themselves under the guidance of the ignorant and erroneous are likely to perish with them (
Luke 6:39):
Can the blind lead the blind? Can the Pharisees, who are blinded with pride, prejudice, and bigotry,
lead the blind people into the right way?
Shall not both fall together
into the ditch? How can they expect any other? Those that are led by the common opinion, course, and custom, of this world, are themselves blind, and are led by the blind, and will perish with the world that
sits in darkness. Those that ignorantly, and at a venture,
follow the multitude to do evil, follow the blind in the broad way that leads the many to
destruction. V. Christ's followers cannot expect better treatment in the world than their Master had,
Luke 6:40. Let them not promise themselves more honour or pleasure in the world than Christ had, nor aim at the worldly pomp and grandeur which he was never ambitious of, but always declined, nor affect that power in secular things which he would not assume; but every one that would show himself
perfect, an established disciple, let him be
as his Master - dead to the world, and every thing in it, as his Master is; let him live a life of labour and self-denial as his Master doth, and make himself a servant of all; let him stoop, and let him toil, and do all the good he can, and then he will be a complete disciple.
VI. Those who take upon them to rebuke and reform others are concerned to look to it that they be themselves blameless, and harmless, and without rebuke,
Luke 6:41,
Luke 6:42. 1. Those with a very ill grace censure the faults of others who are not aware of their own faults. It is very absurd for any to pretend to be so quick-sighted as to spy small faults in others, like a mote in the eye, when they are themselves so perfectly past feeling as not to perceive
a beam in their own eye. 2. Those are altogether unfit to help to reform others whose reforming charity does not begin at home. How canst thou offer thy service to thy brother, to
pull out the mote from his eye, which requires a good eye as well as a good hand, when thou thyself hast a
beam in thine own eye, and makest no complaint of it? 3. Those therefore who would be serviceable to the souls of others must first make it appear that they are solicitous about their own souls. To help to pull the mote out of our brother's eye is a good work, but then we must qualify ourselves for it by beginning with ourselves; and our reforming our own lives may, by the influence of example, contribute to others reforming theirs.
VII. We may expect that men's words and actions will be according as
they are, according as their hearts are, and according as their principles are.
1. The heart is the
tree, and the words and actions are fruit according to the nature of the tree,
Luke 6:43,
Luke 6:44. If a man be really a
good man, if he have a principle of grace in his heart, and the prevailing bent and bias of the soul be towards God and heaven, though perhaps he may not abound in fruit, though some of his fruits be blasted, and though he may be sometimes like a tree in winter, yet he does not
bring forth corrupt fruit; though he may not do you all the good he should, yet he will not in any material instance do you hurt. If he cannot reform ill manners, he will not
corrupt good manners. If the fruit that a man brings forth be
corrupt, if a man's devotion tend to debauch the mind and conversation, if a man's conversation be vicious, if he be a drunkard or fornicator, if he be a swearer or liar, if he be in any instance unjust or unnatural, his
fruit is
corrupt, and you may be sure that he is not a
good tree. On the other hand, a
corrupt tree doth not bring forth good fruit, though it may bring forth green leaves;
for of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble do they gather grapes. You may, if you please, stick figs upon thorns, and hang a bunch of grapes upon a bramble, but they neither are, nor can be, the natural product of the trees; so neither can you expect any
good conduct from those who have justly a
bad character. If the fruit be good, you may conclude that the tree is so; if the conversation be holy, heavenly, and regular, though you cannot infallibly know the heart, yet you may charitably hope that it is upright with God; for
every tree is known by its fruit. But the
vile person will speak villany (
Isa 32:6), and the experience of the moderns herein agrees with the
proverb of the ancients, that
wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, 1Sam 24:13.
2. The heart is the
treasure, and the words and actions are the expenses or produce from that treasure,
Luke 6:45. This we had,
Matt 12:34,
Matt 12:35. The reigning love of God and Christ in the heart denominates a man
a good man; and it is
a good treasure a man may bring forth that which is good. But where the love of the world and the flesh reign there is an
evil treasure in the heart, out of which an
evil man is continually bringing forth
that which is evil; and by what is brought forth you may know what is in the heart, as you may know what is in the vessel, water or wine, by what is
drawn out from it, John 2:8.
Of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks; what the mouth ordinarily speaks, speaks with relish and delight, generally agrees with what is innermost and uppermost in the heart:
He that speaks of the earth is earthly, John 3:31. Not but that a good man may possibly drop a bad word, and a wicked man make use of a good word to serve a bad turn; but, for the most part, the heart is as the words are,
vain or
serious; it therefore concerns us to get our hearts filled, not only with
good, but with
abundance of it.
VIII. It is not enough to
hear the sayings of Christ, but we must
do them; not enough to profess relation to him, as his servants, but we must make conscience of obeying him.
1. It is putting an
affront upon him to call him
Lord, Lord, as if we were wholly at his command, and had devoted ourselves to his service, if we do not make conscience of conforming to his will and serving the interests of his kingdom. We do but mock Christ, as they that in scorn said,
Hail, King of the Jews, if we call him ever so often
Lord, Lord, and yet walk in the way of our own hearts and in the sight of our own eyes. Why do we call him
Lord, Lord, in prayer (compare
Matt 7:21,
Matt 7:22), if we do not obey his commands? He that
turns away his ear from hearing the law, his prayer shall be an abomination. 2. It is
putting a cheat upon ourselves if we think that a bare profession of religion will save us, that
hearing the sayings of Christ will bring us to heaven, without
doing them. This he illustrates by a similitude (
Luke 6:47-
Luke 6:49), which shows,
(1.) That those only make sure work for their souls and eternity, and take the course that will stand them in stead in a trying time, who do not only
come to Christ as his scholars, and
hear his sayings but do them, who think, and speak, and act, in every thing according to the established rules of his holy religion. They are like a
house built on a rock. These are they that
take pains in religion, as they do, - that
dig deep, that found their hope upon Christ, who is the Rock of ages (and other foundation can no man lay); these are they who
provide for hereafter, who get ready for the worst, who lay up in store a good foundation for the
time to come, for the
eternity to come, 1Tim 6:19. They who do thus do well for themselves; for, [1.] They shall keep their integrity, in times of temptation and persecution; when others fall from their own stedfastness, as the seed on the stony ground, they shall
stand fast in the Lord. [2.] They shall keep their comfort, and peace, and hope, and joy, in the midst of the greatest distresses. The
storms and
streams of affliction shall not shock them, for their feet are
set upon a rock, a rock
higher than they. [3.] Their everlasting welfare is secured. In death and judgment they are safe. Obedient believers are
kept by the power of Christ, through faith, unto salvation, and shall never perish.
(2.) That those who rest in a bare hearing of the sayings of Christ, and do not live up to them, are but preparing for a fatal disappointment:
He that heareth and doeth not (that knows his duty, but lives in the neglect of it), he is like a man that
built a house without a foundation. He pleases himself with hopes that he has no ground for, and his hopes will fail him when he most needs the
comfort of them, and when he expects the
crowning of them; when the
stream beats vehemently upon his house, it is gone, the sand it is built upon is washed away, and
immediately it falls, Such is the
hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when God takes away his soul; it is as the spider's web, and the giving up of the ghost.
