Luke 6:9 Komentář

In this chapter we have Christ's exposition of the moral law, which he came not to destroy, but to fulfil, and to fill up, by his gospel. I. Here is a proof of the lawfulness of works of necessity and mercy on the sabbath day, the former in vindication of his disciples' plucking the ears of corn, the latter in vindication of himself healing the withered hand on that day (Luk 6:1-11). II. His retirement for secret prayer (Luk 6:12). III. His calling his twelve apostles (Luk 6:13-16). IV. His curing the multitudes of those under various diseases who made their application to him (Luk 6:17-19). V. The sermon that he preached to his disciples and the multitude, instructing them in their duty both to God and man (v. 20-49).

And it came to pass on the second sabbath day after the first,.... 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. The eastern versions, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic, not knowing what should be meant by it, have only rendered it, "on the sabbath day", as in Mat_. 12:1. See Gill on Mat 12:1. That he went through the corn fields; that is, Jesus, as the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions: and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands: after they had plucked them they rubbed them in their hands to get clean off the husk or beard, that were on them, and then ate the grains. And as plucking of the ears of corn was forbidden on a sabbath day; see Gill on Mat 12:2, so was rubbing them; though if they were rubbed before, the chaff might be blown off from them in the hand, and eat on the sabbath day: the rule is this (l); "he that rubs ears of corn on the evening of the sabbath, (i.e. on the sixth day,) may blow them from hand to hand on the morrow, and eat'' But the disciples both plucked them, and rubbed them, and blew away the chaff from them on the sabbath day, and therefore were complained of by the Pharisees. (l) T. Bab. Betza, fol. 12. 2. & 13. 2. Vid. Maimon. Hilch. Sabbat, c. 21. sect. 14. 17.

And looking round about upon them all,.... The Scribes and Pharisees, and the rest of the people in the synagogue; See Gill on Mar 3:5. he said to the man; who had the withered hand, stretch forth thy hand, and he did so; he stretched it out, as the Syriac and Persic versions render it, which he was not able to do before: and his hand was restored well as the other; the phrase, "well as the other", is left out in one copy, and in the Vulgate Latin version; and so is the word "well" in the Syriac and Arabic versions; and the word "immediately" is added in the Ethiopic version. And certain it is, that his withered hand was restored sound and well as the other, directly.

Wishing, therefore, to initiate them into this meaning of the law by the restoration of the withered hand, He requires, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath-days to do good, or not? to save life, or to destroy it? " In order that He might, whilst allowing that amount of work which He was about to perform for a soul, remind them what works the law of the Sabbath forbade-even human works; and what it enjoined-even divine works, which might be done for the benefit of any soul, He was called "Lord of the Sabbath," because He maintained the Sabbath as His own institution.

But the law by things present prefigured the form of things future, among which surely the days of rest to come are to be not from good works but from evil. For although secular works may be given up, yet it is no idle act of a good work to rest in the praise of God.

“Are you angry at me because I have healed the whole man on the sabbath day?” In this place he revivified with the salutary strength of good works the hand which Adam stretched out to pluck the fruit of the forbidden tree. The hand which had withered through a crime was healed by good deeds. Christ thereby rebuked the Jews who violated the precepts of the law with evil interpretations. They thought that they should rest even from good works on the sabbath, since the law prefigured in the present the form of the future in which indeed the days of rest from evils, not from blessings, would come.

Aug. de Qu. Ev. l. iii. qu. 7.) But though our Lord was healing the body, He asked this question, "is it lawful to save the soul or to lose it?" either because He performed His miracles on account of faith in which is the salvation of the soul; or, because the cure of the right hand signified the salvation of the soul, which ceasing to do good works, seemed in some measure to have a withered right hand, i. e. He placed the soul for the man, as men are wont to say, "So many souls were there."

(de Con. Ev. l. ii. c. 35.) But it may be questioned how Matthew came to say, that they asked the Lord, whether it was lawful to heal on the sabbath, when Luke in this place states that they rather were asked of the Lord. We must therefore believe that they first asked the Lord, and that then He understanding by their thoughts that they sought an opportunity to accuse Him, placed the man in the midst whom He was going to heal, and asked the question which Mark and Luke relate Him to have asked. It follows, And looking round about upon them all.

This is a very useful question, for if it is lawful to do good on the sabbath, and there is no reason why those who work should not obtain mercy from God, cease to gather up accusation against Christ. But if it be not lawful to do good on the sabbath, and the law prohibits the safety of life, thou art become the accuser of the law. For if we examine the very institution of the sabbath, we shall find it was introduced for an object of mercy, for God commanded to keep holy the sabbath, that may rest thy man servant and thy maid servant, and all thy cattle. (Exod. 20:23.) But he who has mercy on his ox, and the rest of his cattle, how much rather will he not have mercy on man troubled with a severe disease?

This question is most wise indeed and a most suitable statement to meet their folly. If it is lawful to do good on the sabbath and nothing prevents the sick being pitied by God, cease picking up opportunities for fault-finding against Christ and bringing down on your own head the sentence which the Father has decreed against those who dishonor the Son. You have heard the Father where he says of the Son by the voice of David, "I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him." But if it is not lawful to do good on the sabbath and the law forbids the saving of life, you have made yourself an accuser of the law.

But Jesus said to them: I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath? The Lord, anticipating the calumny of the Jews which they had prepared for him with a treacherous mind, reproached them because they violated the commandments of the law with a twisted interpretation, thinking that even good works should be refrained from on the Sabbath, whereas the law commands to abstain from evil works saying: You shall do no servile work on it (Levit. XXIII), that is, sin: For everyone who commits sin is a servant of sin (John VIII). By the same commandment, at the same time foreshadowing the form of the future age, where those who have done good through the six ages of this world, in the seventh rest, will have holidays only from evil, but not also from good. For although secular works rest, nevertheless the act of good work is not idle in resting in the praise of God.

To save a soul, or to lose it? This is to care for a man, or not. It is the same as what was previously stated: To do good, or to do evil. Not that God, supremely good, could be the author of evil or destruction for us, but because His not saving, according to the custom of Scripture, is said to destroy. As it is said that He hardened Pharaoh’s heart, not that He hardened a soft one, but that He, not mercifully softening what was already hardened by preceding merits. And when we pray, lead us not into temptation (Matthew 6), immediately adding: but deliver us from evil (ibid.), we are plainly taught that His not leading into temptation is nothing other than delivering from evil; His destroying a soul is not to save it from destruction. If anyone is moved by the question of why the Lord, when He was going to heal the body, asked about the salvation of the soul, let him understand either that the soul is put forth for the man by the manner of the Scriptures, as it is said: these are the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob (Exodus 1); or that those miracles were performed for the health of the soul, or that the healing of the hand itself signified the health of the soul, which seemed to have a certain dry right hand, ceasing from good works (as I have foretold).

But the Lord anticipating the false charge which they were preparing against Him, reproves those who by wrongly interpreting the law thought that they must rest on the sabbath-day even from good works; whereas the law commands us to abstain from servile works, i. e. from evil, on the sabbath. Hence it follows, Then said Jesus unto them, I ask you, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath, &c.

The disciples pluck and eat the ears of corn on the Sabbath day, and the Pharisees find fault, Luk 6:1, Luk 6:2. Our Lord shows the true use of the Sabbath, Luk 6:3-5. He heals the man with the withered hand, Luk 6:6-11. He goes into a mountain to pray, and calls twelve disciples, Luk 6:12-16. Multitudes are instructed and healed, Luk 6:17-19. Pronounces four blessings, Luk 6:20-23, and four woes, Luk 6:24-26. Gives various instructions about loving our enemies, being patient, gentle, kind, grateful, and merciful, Luk 6:27-36. Harsh judgments censured, and charity recommended, Luk 6:37, Luk 6:38. The parable of the blind leading the blind, Luk 6:39. Of the mote in a brother's eye, Luk 6:40-42. Of the good and corrupt tree, Luk 6:43, Luk 6:44. The good and evil treasure of the heart, Luk 6:45. The parable of the two houses, one builded on the rock, and the other on the sand, Luk 6:46-49.

I will ask you one thing - I will put a question to you. See on Mar 3:4, Mar 3:5 (note).

PLUCKING CORN-EARS ON THE SABBATH. (Luk 6:1-5) second sabbath after the first--an obscure expression, occurring here only, generally understood to mean, the first sabbath after the second day of unleavened bread. The reasons cannot be stated here, nor is the opinion itself quite free from difficulty.

good, or . . . evil, save . . . or destroy--By this novel way of putting His case, our Lord teaches the great ethical principle, that to neglect any opportunity of doing good is to incur the guilt of doing evil; and by this law He bound His own spirit. (See Mar 3:4.)