Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Luke 6
Luke 6:5And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
Jesus declares Himself the Lord of the Sabbath, meaning He has the final say on how to honor God's day of rest.Luke 6:31And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Known as the Golden Rule, this simple command to treat others as we want to be treated is the core of Christian ethics.Luke 6:45The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Our words and actions reflect what is already stored in our hearts.
Historical & Cultural Context
Mercy in the Grainfields and the Synagogue
The chapter begins with Jesus and His disciples walking through grainfields on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, who were religious leaders focused on strict rule-following, accuse them of breaking the law by picking grain. Jesus responds by reminding them that even King David broke religious protocols when people were hungry, showing that meeting human needs is more important than rigid tradition.
Choosing the Twelve and the Sermon on the Plain
After a night of intense prayer on a mountain, Jesus selects twelve men to be His apostles, His special messengers. He then comes down to a level place where a massive crowd has gathered from all over the region. People are desperate to hear Him and be healed, and Luke notes that power was coming out of Jesus to heal them all.
The Teachings and Actions of Jesus in Luke 6
In Luke 6:1-49, we see Jesus moving from public confrontations with religious leaders to the private selection of His leaders, and finally to a massive public sermon. The setting shifts from the dusty grainfields to a quiet mountain and then to a crowded level plain.
Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:1-11)
1 On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands.
2 But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"
3 And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?"
5 And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
6 On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.
7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him.
8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come and stand here." And he rose and stood there.
9 And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?"
10 And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored.
11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Commentary:
Jesus shows that the Sabbath is for doing good and that He has the authority to define its true purpose.
The Selection of the Twelve (Luke 6:12-16)
12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:
14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,
16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Commentary:
After a night of prayer, Jesus chooses twelve apostles to be His closest followers and leaders.
Blessings and Woes (Luke 6:17-26)
17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon,
18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.
19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
22 "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!"
23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
Commentary:
Jesus declares that the poor and suffering are blessed, while warning those who find their only comfort in worldly wealth.
Love for Enemies (Luke 6:27-36)
27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.
30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.
31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
32 "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them."
33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Commentary:
Jesus calls for a radical, selfless love that extends even to those who treat us poorly.
Judging Others and Heart Fruit (Luke 6:37-45)
37 "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;"
38 Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.
39 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.
43 "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,"
44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.
45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Commentary:
We are told to look at our own faults before judging others and to realize that our actions reveal our true heart.
The Two Foundations (Luke 6:46-49)
46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?
47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:
48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
Commentary:
True faith requires action, and only those who obey Jesus' words will have a foundation that survives life's storms.
The Upside-Down Values of the Kingdom of God
The Priority of Mercy
Jesus repeatedly shows that God values mercy and human well-being over the strict observance of religious traditions. Whether in the grainfields or the synagogue, He demonstrates that the heart of the law is love for God and neighbor.
Radical Grace and Forgiveness
The chapter emphasizes a level of forgiveness that goes beyond human logic, asking us to bless those who curse us. This reflects God's own character, as He is kind even to those who do not deserve it.
Integrity of the Heart
Jesus teaches that true spirituality is an internal reality that flows outward. Looking religious on the outside is not enough. Our hearts must be transformed so that our 'fruit' - our words and deeds - is naturally good.
Applying the Sermon on the Plain to Your Life
According to Luke 6:27-28, you are called to respond with love and prayer rather than retaliation. By blessing those who mistreat you, you reflect the character of your Father in heaven and break the cycle of bitterness.
Building on the rock means more than agreeing with Jesus' teachings. It means putting them into practice daily as described in Luke 6:47-48. When you consistently choose to obey His words, your faith becomes stable enough to withstand the difficult seasons of life.
Jesus suggests in Luke 6:45 that you should listen to your own words and observe your reactions. Since the mouth speaks what the heart is full of, your everyday conversations and hidden thoughts are the best indicators of your spiritual health.
A Call to Radical Mercy and Obedience
Luke 6 reveals that God is more interested in the condition of our hearts than the perfection of our religious performance. In Jesus, we see a Lord who chooses the humble, heals the broken, and demands a radical kind of love that includes even our enemies. The message is clear: to follow Jesus is to embrace a life of mercy that is built on the solid foundation of active obedience.
What This Means for Us Today
Faith is an invitation to step out of a life of judging and rule-following and into a life of mercy and action. Jesus invites us to 'come and hear' His words, but more importantly, to 'do them' so that our lives can stand firm. This week, we are called to be the hands and feet of a merciful Father in a world that often prefers judgment.
- Is there someone you consider an 'enemy' that you can pray for today?
- In what area of your life are you hearing Jesus' words but struggling to actually do them?
- How can you show 'extra' mercy to someone who doesn't necessarily deserve it this week?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
The Sermon on the Mount provides a more detailed version of many of the teachings found in Luke 6.
The historical account of David eating the sacred bread, which Jesus uses to defend His disciples.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think the Pharisees were so upset about Jesus healing on the Sabbath, even though it was a good deed?
- Jesus says to 'lend, expecting nothing in return.' How does this challenge our modern ideas about money and fairness?
- What are some 'logs' in our own eyes that often prevent us from helping others with their 'specks'?