Issachar_Luke6 - The Visual Bible Explorer Series

Chapter 6 Luke 6

6.1 Conflict over the Sabbath (vv. 1-11)

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath (vv.1-5)

  1 Jesus was walking through some wheat fields on a Sabbath. His disciples began to pick the heads of wheat, rub them in their hands, and eat the grain. a 2 Some Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what our Law says you cannot do on the Sabbath?”
              3 Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his men were hungry? b 4 He went into the house of God, took the bread offered to God, ate it, and gave it also to his men. Yet it is against our Law for anyone except the priests to eat that bread.” c
             5 And Jesus concluded, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” d

Interesting Stuff:

^a The Jews were allowed by the Law to pull off the wheat grains with their hands and eat them as they pass through any grain fields (Dt 23:25). However, this act of plucking was considered by the Pharisees as ‘reaping’ and rubbing them in their hands to remove the husks as ‘threshing’. According to the Jewish tradition in the Mishnah (refer to ‘Traditions of the Elders’, p. ix), harvesting was forbidden on the Sabbath. The disciples were thus regarded as breaking the Sabbath laws by doing work on the Sabbath. At that time, the rigid observance of the Sabbath was one of the main components of the Jewish religion.
^b Jesus was referring to the incident in 1 Sa 21:1-6. David was running away from Saul when he and his men went to the town of Nob where the Tabernacle of God was. There he asked the priest Ahimelech for food. On both these occasions, godly men did something forbidden.|
^c Each Sabbath, 12 fresh loaves of bread were set on a table in the Holy Place to replace the old bread (Lev 24:5-9). They were consecrated to God and only the priests could eat them. Because Ahimelech had no other food to offer David, he gave David these loaves that were meant for the priests. According to Jesus, David’s ‘breaking’ the law showed that the law of necessity at times overrules the ceremonial law.
^d Jewish tradition had created so many rules and requirements for keeping the Sabbath that the burden had become intolerable. Jesus cut across these traditions and stressed that God intended the Sabbath for man, for his spiritual, mental and physical restoration. As the Son of God sent as the Messiah, he had the authority to overrule laws concerning Sabbath which burdened the people instead of setting them free.
Jesus claimed authority over the Sabbath. According to him therefore, it was not wrong for his disciples to pick the heads of wheat even though it was considered as work because his disciples needed to eat. Works of necessity or mercy were thus allowed on the Sabbath.

Questions:

What did Jesus’ disciples do as they walked through the wheat fields on the Sabbath (v. 1)?

2. What did the Pharisees accuse them of doing (v. 2)?

What was their reason for this?

3. How did Jesus answer them (vv. 3-4)?

What did Jesus mean when he said that he was the Lord of the Sabbath (v. 5)?

Summary of Section:

While walking through some wheat fields on a Sabbath, Jesus’ disciples began to pick the heads of wheat, rub them in their hands and eat the grain. The disciples’ action in plucking and eating grain on a Sabbath started a dispute between Jesus and some Pharisees.
The Pharisees asked why they were doing something that was against the law of the Sabbath. They objected not to the action itself but to its being done on the Sabbath.
Jesus asked them whether they had read the Scriptures about the action of King David and his men. David and his men were hungry and they went into the house of God where David took the bread that was offered to God and ate it together with his men.
Jesus pointed out that although the action of David was against the Law, since only priests could eat that bread, he was not condemned for it.
Then Jesus claimed that he, the Son of Man, the Messiah, was the Lord of the Sabbath.

Nuggets of Wisdom

When Jesus asked, “Haven’t you read . . .”, he was implying that they had read but had not understood the real meaning of the story. The Pharisees’ very rigid way of interpreting God’s Law had missed out on God’s purpose in the giving of the Law. They had forgotten that ultimately the Law of God was all about love and that God desires mercy, rather than sacrifice (Hos 6:6). They overlooked the fact that Scripture itself allows for exceptions to the Law under certain circumstances, like in the case of David and his men eating what was forbidden because they were hungry.
Jesus was not teaching that keeping God’s Law like the law of the Sabbath was not important. Throughout the Gospels it is clear that Jesus himself obeyed the Mosaic Law and observed the Sabbath. He only rejected all the legalistic traditions that had been added on by man and had made following God’s laws burdensome and just an outward show only, without the heart.
For Jesus, therefore, as the Son of Man, God’s Messiah sent to preach the grace of God, he had God’s authority to interpret Scripture according to God’s will and purposes. And God’s original intention in giving Sabbath to man was for his wellbeing. Jesus was the Lord of the Sabbath and could determine that for his followers, plucking and eating grain, because it fulfilled their need, was not wrong to do on the Sabbath.
Note that Luke says ‘some Pharisees’, implying that not all Pharisees had the same response to Jesus.

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath (vv. 6-11)

⁶ On another Sabbath Jesus went into a synagogue and taught. A man was there whose right hand was paralysed. ^{e 7} Some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees wanted a reason to accuse Jesus of doing wrong, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. ⁸ But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man, “Stand up and come here to the front.” ^f The man got up and stood there. ⁹ Then Jesus said to hem, “I ask you: What does our Law allow us to do on the Sabbath? ^g To help or to harm? To save a man’s life or destroy it?” ¹⁰ He looked around at them all; then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand became well again.
¹¹ They were filled with rage ^h and began to discuss among themselves i what they could do to Jesus.

Interesting Stuff:

^eOther translations say ‘withered’, meaning that the muscles were probably diseased and wasting away.
^fMost likely Jesus asked him to stand in front so that there would be no question about his healing.
^gWithin the Jewish traditions, healing is permitted on the Sabbath only if there is immediate danger to life. In this case, a withered hand would not be considered as posing danger to the man’s life.

Questions:

Why were the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees watching Jesus closely on that Sabbath day in the synagogue (vv. 6-7)?

2. Knowing what they were thinking, what did Jesus do and say in the presence of everyone in the synagogue (vv. 8-10)?

3. How did they respond to Jesus’ healing of the man (v. 11)?

4. Referring to the two incidents, Jesus’ disciples picking the heads of grain and the healing of the man with the paralysed hand, what conclusions can be made concerning the Sabbath and the proper use of it?

Summary of Section:

Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on a Sabbath. A man whose right hand was paralysed was there.
Some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees wanted a reason to accuse Jesus of doing wrong. So they watched Jesus closely to see if he would break the Sabbath law by healing the man and thus give them a chance to accuse him.
Jesus was fully aware of what was going on in their minds. Instead of acting in fear of them, he commanded the man to stand up and come to the front so that everyone could see what followed.
Then he addressed the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, challenging them with the question as to what is lawful to do on the Sabbath – to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to destroy it.
None of them dared speak because they knew that the only answer they could give would only support what Jesus was going to do. When they failed to answer, Jesus asked the man to stretch out his hand and it was healed.
The Pharisees and teachers of the law were filled with great anger because Jesus had got the better of them and there was nothing they could do. They began to discuss among themselves what they could do to him.

Nuggets of Wisdom

In the first section (vv. 1-5), some of the Pharisees accused Jesus and his disciples of breaking God’s Law on the Sabbath. In the second story (vv. 6-11), they were watching and waiting for him to do exactly the same thing again. Their ‘watching’ Jesus was with the intent of bringing formal charges against him.
Within the Jewish traditions, treating people medically was allowed on the Sabbath only if there was danger to the person’s life. In this case, a withered hand would not be considered as life-threatening and so within their interpretations, his need did not supersede the Sabbath law.
Jesus knew their thoughts. When he raised his question, he knew that they were not interested in trying to help relieve human pain and suffering. They were more interested in preserving rules and traditions that came from their own interpretations of Scripture.
Jesus’ point was that they had inadequately interpreted and understood the Scriptures. They had missed the whole point about the Sabbath which was for rest and healing. If they had understood it, they would have seen that deeds of mercy were not only allowed, but that they were absolutely necessary.
Jesus thus not only asserted his authority over the Sabbath but he demonstrated it as well and the man was healed.

6.2 Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles (vv. 12-16)

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles (vv. 12-16)

¹² At that time Jesus went up a hill to pray and spent the whole night there praying to God. ¹³ When day came, he called his disciples ^j to him and chose twelve of them, whom he named apostles: ^{k 14} Simon (whom he named Peter) and his brother Andrew; James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew l and Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon (who was called the Patriot), ¹⁶ Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became the traitor. ^m

Interesting Stuff:

^jA disciple was a learner, a student. In the first century, a student did not simply study a subject but he studied under a teacher. Jesus’ disciples would be the group of people who had attached themselves to him, regularly followed him and were committed to his teachings. There were at least 72 of them since this many were later sent out to preach (10:1).
^k The word ‘apostle’ comes from the verb ‘to send’ and means ‘someone sent, a messenger’. From his large number of disciples, Jesus now chose 12, who would form his followers in the sense that they would be his followers ‘sent with a special charge and with power and authority from him’ as we shall see later in the Gospel. Their number ‘twelve’ matches the number of the tribes of Israel.
^lMatthew was another name for Levi the tax collector (see 5:27-28).
^m There are other lists of the apostles in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and in Acts. Although the order of the names varies, Peter’s name is always first and Judas Iscariot last.

Questions:

What did Jesus do on the hill the whole night (v. 12)?

2. Why do you think Jesus prayed the whole night through?

3. Name the 12 apostles who were chosen by Jesus (vv. 14-16).

Summary of Section:

Jesus went up a hill to pray and he spent a whole night praying to God.
In the morning, he called his disciples to him. Up to this time, his disciples were a group of people who had attached themselves loosely to him as their teacher.
From among this group, Jesus chose twelve whom he called apostles, the term, meaning ‘one sent’.
They were Simon (whom he named Peter), and his brother Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon (called the Patriot), Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became the traitor.

Nuggets of Wisdom

Mountains were often associated in Jewish literature with divine visitation and revelations. That Jesus chose to go up a mountain (or hill as translated in this version) and pray was perhaps not a coincidence.
This was probably a critical time in Jesus’ ministry. The events before had shown that his enemies were increasing and were plotting together against him. And so Jesus sought God’s will in prayer through the night.
As a result of that night in prayer, Jesus chose twelve particular persons to be his apostles. His action and choices were made in obedience to what God had shown him in prayer.
Jesus probably chose 12 apostles to correspond with the number of tribes of Israel, thereby indicating that a new people of God and a new leadership were coming into existence. To these 12, Jesus would later delegate his power and authority.
If Jesus, who is the Son of God, had to spend a whole night in prayer to the Father to know His will, how much more should we do so, especially when we face difficult times or when we have to make important decisions.

6.3 Sermon on the Plain (vv. 17-49)

Happiness and Sorrows (vv. 17-26)

        ¹⁷ When Jesus had come down from the hill with the apostles, he stood on a level place ⁿ with a large number of his disciples. A large crowd of people was there from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from the coast cities of Tyre and Sidon; ¹⁸ they had come to hear him ^o and to be healed of their diseases. Those who were troubled by evil spirits also came and were healed. ¹⁹ All the people tried to touch him, for power was going out from him and healing them all.
²⁰ Jesus looked at his disciples and said,
           “Happy ^p are you poor; ^q                     the kingdom of God is yours!
²¹ “Happy are you who are hungry r now;
                     you will be filled!
          “Happy are you who weep ^s now;
                     you will laugh!
       ²² “Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and say that you are evil, all because of the Son of Man! ²³ Be glad when that happens and dance for joy, because a great reward is kept for you in heaven. For their ancestors did the very same things to the prophets.
²⁴ “But how terrible t for you who are rich now;
                        you have had your easy life!
²⁵ “How terrible for you who are full now;
                        you will go hungry!
           “How terrible for you who laugh now;
                        you will mourn and weep!
²⁶ “How terrible when all people speak well of you; their ancestors said the very same things about the false prophets.

Interesting Stuff:

ⁿ This level place is probably a flat area or a plateau on the mountainside as mentioned in Mt 5:1. The Gospel of Matthew has a similar section which many have called ‘The Sermon on the Mount’ (chap 5-7). Luke’s ‘sermon on a level place’ has many similar teachings but is much shorter. Both, however, begin with the Beatitudes and end with the lesson of the builders.
^o Notice that Luke emphasises that the people had come to hear his teaching and not just to receive healing from him.
^p The traditional translation of the word is ‘blessed’. The Greek word was used to express the happy, untroubled state of the gods, and then more generally, the happiness of the rich who are free from care. It can thus be understood as ‘Happy are . . .’ or ‘Fortunate are . . .’ followed by the reason why. Note that Jesus was speaking to his disciples, those who had turned to him for salvation; they were the ones who would receive such joy or blessedness. This set of teachings is traditionally known as the ‘Beatitudes’, from the Latin word beatus which means ‘blessed’.
^q The Greek word means ‘one who is so poor as to have to beg’, i.e., one who is completely destitute. The poor know that they have no resources of their own to rely on and so they need to rely on God. Beyond just physical poverty, Matthew (Mt 5:3) talks about being poor spiritually. Jesus is not saying being poor is the cause for happiness. The happiness is because of the promise made to the poor that theirs is the kingdom of God – the blessings of God’s reign are given to the poor.
^r Hunger is closely associated with being poor. Although the idea of being physically hungry is the main thrust here, the hunger here can also be taken to mean the desire for spiritual satisfaction, for God to fulfil the deeper longings of the soul.
^s The word ‘weep’ expresses mourning and sorrow of all kinds.
^t The traditional translation is ‘woe’. It is an expression of pity for those who stand under divine judgment. The four ‘woes’ are a direct contrast to the previous four’ blessings’ in both structure and content.

Questions:

Name the three groups of people on the plain who were witnesses to his teaching and healing power (vv. 17-18).

2. What four conditions did Jesus consider as fortunate for the disciples to have (vv. 20-22)?

What reasons did Jesus give (vv. 20-23)?

3. What were the four opposite conditions that would be terrible for them to have (vv. 24-26)?

Summary of Section:

After Jesus had come down the hill with his 12 apostles, he stood on a level place. He was joined not only by a great crowd of his disciples but also by a large crowd of people who had come from all over Judea and Jerusalem, and as far north as Tyre and Sidon.
Some were attracted by reports of his teaching and wanted to hear more. Some wanted healing and deliverance from evil spirits. God’s power was with Jesus and he healed everyone who came to him.
Jesus’ ‘sermon on the plain’ was directed towards his disciples, although there was a large crowd around listening as well. He taught them that the ways of the Kingdom of God are the complete opposite of the ways of the world.
Jesus began with four conditions that the world considers wretched and pitiful. But such disciples had a special place in God’s Kingdom and in God’s heart. Jesus told the disciples that:
a) They who were poor now were blessed or happy because God loved them and had given them His Kingdom. He was not saying that it was blessed to be poor. He was saying that because they were poor, they were blessed because God had come in the person of Jesus to preach His Good News especially to them. And they could now even in the midst of their poverty partake of some of the kingdom blessings.
b)They who were hungry and had a physical need now were blessed or happy because God would satisfy them as they turn to Him.
c) They who weep now, who carry the burden not just of personal grief but also for the suffering world were blessed or happy because God would comfort them and they would laugh.
d) When they were hated, rejected, insulted and called evil because of Jesus, they were blessed. These very same things were done to the prophets by their ancestors. Jesus called them to rejoice and dance for joy because there was a great reward stored up for them in heaven.
Jesus then pronounced four woes which repeated in reverse terms what the blessings’ said. The ‘woes’ expressed a mixture of indignation and sorrow. He said how terrible it was:
a) For those who were now rich because their lives had been easy, lacking nothing. They would be ‘poor’ in the end because they had left God out of their lives.
b) For those who were full now because they did not need God in their lives. Like the rich, they would find in the end that they were ‘hungry’ because they did not have God in their lives.
c) For those who laughed now because they would mourn and weep in the end when they find that they did not know God who is the true source of joy.
d) When all people spoke well of them as his disciples because that would mean that somewhere they had compromised and tried to please people. Their ancestors said the same things about the false prophets because they spoke only to please the people and not God.

Nuggets of Wisdom

This whole section from vv. 17 to the end of the chapter deals with Jesus’ teachings on how his followers (although the crowd was also listening) were to live their lives as members of God’s Kingdom, having the attitudes, values and lifestyle that reflect the kind of God and Father they have.
Jesus was teaching his followers that the ways and values of the Kingdom of God are different and opposite to those of the world. What the world despises and rejects, God admires and exalts. He wanted to open people’s eyes to see God’s redemptive aims in a new way.
The beatitudes and woes were also words of comfort and encouragement to people like those who have been the recipients of Jesus’ grace – the lepers, the poor, the demonised, the sinners, the women, and such like them. Although they were unacceptable socially in their society now, they would be embraced in God’s new Kingdom that has already come and that is seen in Jesus’ very presence.

Love for Enemies (vv. 27-36)

²⁷ “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹ If anyone hits you on one cheek, let him hit the other one too; if someone takes your coat, u let him have your shirt^v as well. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you for something, and when someone takes what is yours, do not ask for it back. ³¹Do for others just what you want them to do for you.

³² “If you love only the people who love you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners love those who love them! ³³ And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners do that! ³⁴ And if you lend only to those from whom you hope to get it back, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount! ³⁵ No! Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High God. For he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.

Interesting Stuff:

^u The coat or cloak refers to the outer garment worn by the Jews (refer to ‘Clothing’, p. xv). The best cloaks were woven from goat or camel hair. Though not worn in hot weather, cloaks were used as bed coverings even in summer in desert areas and on higher ground where the nights are cold. Many poor people, therefore, needed them all year round.
^vThe shirt or tunic (refer to ‘Clothing’, p. xv) is the basic garment consisting of a flowing, ankle-length robe with long, loose sleeves and tied with a girdle or belt. The material was hand-woven from cotton for the poor and silk for the wealthy.

Questions:

What is the main thing that Jesus was calling those who hear him to do (vv. 27, 35)?

2. What reasons did he give for calling his people to do that (vv. 32-36)?

3. In what forms or actions can loving our enemies take (vv. 27-31)?

Summary of Section:

Jesus called his followers to love their enemies, do good to those who hate them, bless those who curse them and pray for those who mistreat them. It is not enough to refrain from not doing bad to them; they were to do good to them.
Jesus illustrated with two examples:
a) If one was punched on the side of the jaw (the word ‘cheek’ is better translated ‘jaw’), one was to let the person punch the other side too. Jesus was speaking here about an attitude. When we receive an injury, we must not seek revenge but be ready if need be to accept another such injury.
b) If someone took one’s cloak, one was to let him have the shirt as well. This might refer to street robbery or as implied in the passage, that the person had a need. Jesus said that one was not to react in anger but to let the person take what he needed. It is not asking to be passive in the face of evil but to refrain from reacting because of concern for the person.
Jesus asked his disciples to be ready to be generous, giving to those who had a need, even if it meant that one’s things were taken.
He then summed it all up in the golden rule that we are to do for others what we want them to do for us.
He said that the life of his followers must be different from that of others. Even men who do not know God would love those who love them. They would similarly do good only to those who do good to them and they would lend to those in need only if they could be sure of getting their money back. If his followers did that, they would be doing nothing more than what the world does and they would not receive a blessing from God.
Thus his followers were to love their enemies, do good to them and lend, expecting nothing back. Then their reward would be great and they would be children of God because God is good and merciful to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Jesus then ended by calling them to be merciful just as their Father is merciful.

Nuggets of Wisdom

In the previous section, Jesus had called his followers blessed when they were hated and insulted and rejected by others for his sake. Now he continued by saying that such people who would be called our enemies must be loved and not hated. The Greek word used here is agape, the same love that God gives to us who are totally undeserving of His love.
In this section, Jesus again identifies the kind of behaviour and the motivation behind the behaviour that characterise those who have embraced Jesus’ message and are part of this new community. They are to love their enemies, to do good and to give to others, all three actions to be done without expecting anything in return.
Love is to be expressed in taking action to do good, and not by being passive, especially in the face of opposition. Jesus calls on his followers to form a community where one is not to treat others as though they were enemies.
The motivation for behaving in this way is rooted in the character of God. He will reward all such behaviour. By behaving in such a way, Jesus’ followers are imitating His character as a merciful God who is good to all, the ungrateful and the wicked as well.

Judging Others (vv.37-42)

³⁷“Do not judge others, and God will not judge you; do not condemn others, and God will not condemn you; forgive others, and God will forgive you. ³⁸ Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, ^w a generous helping, poured into your hands ^x – all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.

³⁹ And Jesus told them this parable: ^y “One blind man cannot lead another one; if he does, both will fall into a ditch. ⁴⁰No pupil is greater than his teacher; but every pupil, when he has completed his training, will be like his teacher.

⁴¹“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but pay no attention to the log^z in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Please, brother, let me take that speck out of your eye,’ yet cannot even see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Interesting Stuff:

^w When a Jew buys grain from a grain merchant in the market, a deep, round, wooden container or measure would be used to measure out the amount of grain asked for by the buyer. Normally the merchant would scoop up the grain with his hands and pour it into the measure. Every so often, the buyer would pick the measure up, shake the grain down. As the measure fills, he presses the grain more compactly with his hands. Gradually it rises to a firm cone. When it seems no more can be added, he carefully sticks a finger into the peak, makes a tiny hollow and adds a few more grains until they run down the sides. This is a full measure, shaken, pressed down and running over (as translated in other versions of the Bible).
^x Other versions translate it as ‘lap’. It probably refers to a fold in the outer garment made as it hangs over the belt. It was used as a kind of pocket.
^y The word ‘parable’ comes from a Greek word which means ‘a placing beside’. It is also found in the OT. It has a broad range of meanings – a comparison, a short popular saying or word of wisdom, a metaphor or simile often extended to a short story. Teaching using parables was common among the rabbis of Jesus’ day. Jesus was such a master in the art of telling parables that he is the only person in the NT who spoke in parables. It was an effective method of revealing truth to those who are spiritually open and ^t the same time concealing it from others. They were particularly effective and easy to remember because Jesus used familiar scenes from everyday life that the people could identify with.
^z ‘speck . . . log’. Jesus used a hyperbole (a figure of speech which overstates something for emphasis) to sharpen the contrast and emphasise how foolish and hypocritical it is for us to criticise someone for a minor fault while we remain blind to our own which is bigger.

Questions:

How will God treat us if we are judgmental and unforgiving towards others (vv. 37-38)?

2. What point was Jesus trying to get across in his parable about the blind man (vv.39-40)?

3. What does Jesus mean when he asks us to take out the log in our eyes first before we worry about the speck in our brother’s eye (vv. 41-42)?

Summary of Section:

Jesus told his followers that they were not to judge or condemn others and God would then not judge or condemn them.
He was not saying that they were not to be discerning between what is right and wrong. He was condemning self-righteous and hypocritical judgment and criticism of others. The man who judges or condemns others will invite the judgment and condemnation of God upon himself.
Instead they were to forgive, just as God had forgiven them. If they do not forgive, then God would also not forgive them. If they were open hearted and generous, then God would respond to them in abundance as well.
Jesus then told a parable to bring out the importance of a disciple following the right teacher.
a) He warned his followers that if they put their trust in the wrong teachers like the Pharisees, they would end up in trouble, like a blind man leading another blind man and both falling into a ditch.
b) They must see clearly where they were going otherwise they themselves would also lead others to disaster.
c) The follower of Jesus must thus make it his aim to be like him and not consider himself above any of Jesus’ teachings. Then he would grow to be like his Teacher and would be able to guide others along the same path.
Jesus warned his followers against hypocrisy. He told them not to be like the hypocrite who is unaware of a great log sticking out of his eye and who tries to remove a small speck from his brother’s eye. Jesus’ point was that they must examine themselves and deal with their own shortcomings first before they concern themselves with being critical about the shortcomings of others.

Nuggets of Wisdom

This was essentially the command to love one’s enemies but stated negatively. Jesus’ followers are to behave in certain ways towards others and God would behave in similar ways to them but to a much greater extent.
Jesus uses the picture of a merchant from the marketplace to show the extravagant generosity of God. He compares God to a merchant who is neither stingy nor fair to himself but excessively fills the measuring vessel to overflowing. Thus God would pour his blessings lavishly on those who learn to accept others as God accepts them.
In stating the parable, Jesus was in effect asking those listening whom they would follow, himself or those teachers of the Law who oppose his teaching. Those who choose to follow him would show by their actions and words that they are like the teacher they follow
Jesus rebuked those for not only seeing others’ faults and not their own, but also for thinking of themselves as more pious and criticising the shortcomings of others. Jesus called such people hypocrites.

The Tree and Its Fruit (vv. 43-45)

⁴³ “A healthy tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a poor tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ Every tree is known by the fruit it bears; you do not pick figs from thorn bushes or gather grapes from bramble bushes. ⁴⁵ A good person brings good out of the treasure of good things in his heart; a bad person brings bad out of his treasure of bad things. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Questions:

According to Jesus, how can you tell if a tree is healthy and good (vv. 43-44)?

2. Similarly, how can one tell how good or bad a person is (v. 45)?

3. How would you ensure that only good things are stored in a person’s heart?

Summary of Section:

Jesus used a picture of a tree to explain to his followers that the fruit of a tree shows clearly the nature of the tree.
A healthy tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a poor tree bear good fruit.
Only a healthy tree can produce good fruit. And every tree is known by the fruit it bears – you cannot pick figs from thorn bushes.
Jesus’ point was that a man’s actions, words and attitudes are an indication of what is in his heart, whether good or evil. Good men, like good trees, will produce good fruit. You will see that in his character and behaviour.
But a bad man can only produce bad fruit in his life because that is what his inner nature is like. For he speaks what comes from his heart.

Nuggets of Wisdom

Jesus used an agricultural example that would be familiar with his listeners. Everyone knew that good fruit could never come from a bad tree. Thus he carried that over into the sphere of human character and behaviour, challenging them to see hat in the same way, their actions and words would reveal what is at the heart of their character.

The Two House Builders (vv. 46-49)

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and yet don’t do what I tell you? ⁴⁷ Anyone who comes to me and listens to my words and obeys them – I will show you what he is like. ⁴⁸ He is like a man who, in building his house, dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. The river flooded over and hit that house but could not shake t, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But anyone who hears my words and does not obey them is like a man who built his house without laying a foundation; when the flood hit that house without laying a foundation; when the flood hit that house it fell at once – and what a terrible crash that was!”

Questions:

According to Jesus, what would it mean for someone to call him ‘Lord’ (v. 46)?

2. According to Jesus, what is the person who listens to him and obeys his words like (vv. 47-48)?

3. What about someone who hears his words but does not obey them (v. 49)?

What is the difference between these two persons?

Summary of Section:

Jesus’ sermon on the plain ends with a reminder of the importance of acting on the teaching that Jesus had given.
Jesus told the story of two house builders to describe how people responded to his teaching:
a) The person who comes to him, hears his teaching and obeys them is like a man, who in building his house, dug deep and laid his foundation on rock. When the river flooded over and hit the house, the house did not shake because it was well built.
b) The person who hears his teaching but does not obey them is like a man who built his house without laying a foundation. Then when the flood hit the house, it fell at once, making a terrible crash.
Jesus’ point was that it was not enough to call him ‘Lord’ and not bother to know his teachings and obey him. It is only as they come to him, to know his word and to live lives in obedience to him that they would be building a strong spiritual foundation in their lives. Then when the storms of life come, they would be able to hold up because their foundation was firm in Jesus.
Those who call Jesus ‘Lord’ but refuse to obey his teaching would have no spiritual foundation in their lives. Then when the storms of life come, their faith in Jesus would not survive.

Nuggets of Wisdom

In this instance, the word ‘Lord’ is a term of great respect, and those using it would thus be affirming Jesus as the one to whom they owe loyalty and commitment.
Probably some had already shown themselves to be false disciples. So Jesus asked why they called him ‘Lord, Lord’ but do not obey him. To call him ‘Lord’ was to admit loyalty and obedience to him. Jesus told them that it was not mere words or even the right behaviour that marked a true follower. It was what he did with what he had heard.
Within what Jesus had been teaching them, calling him ‘Lord’ would mean that they were willing to embrace his values which are the opposite of the world’s, such as loving their enemies and doing good without expecting return, and be transformed in their hearts, following after the character of their Father in heaven.
Thus in ending his teaching, Jesus provided an illustration of the importance of adding obedience to just an eagerness to come and hear his message, which was what most of the crowd had been coming to do. Those who choose to hear and obey would be like the builder who built on a strong foundation.