Introduction
‘One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” Luke 6:1-2
Jesus Is Lord Of The Sabbath
At that time, is the time after the second Passover of Jesus’ ministry. Luke 6:1. It’s important to remember that the legalistic Pharisees weren’t accusing the disciples of stealing the grain, Mark 2:23-3:6 / Luke 6:1-11.
Under the Old Testament law, a person had a right to pluck the grain from someone else’s field when travelling, though they couldn’t put a sickle to the crop, Deuteronomy 23:25.
They were accusing them of breaking their traditions of the Sabbath by doing the minor work of plucking out the grain on the Sabbath. Jesus and the disciples were violating one of the numerous laws the Pharisees had bound as a result of the traditions of the fathers in order that the Sabbath be kept. Exodus 20:10 / Exodus 36:2,3 / Numbers 15:32-36.
‘Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Luke 6:3-5
What Did David Do Exactly?
What David did was actually against lesser legalities of the law, 1 Samuel 21:1-7, for only the priests were to eat of the showbread, Exodus 25:30 / Leviticus 24:5-9 / Numbers 28:9-10 / 1 Samuel 21:6.
Though David’s actions were technically unlawful according to the law that forbade anyone eating the showbread other than the priests, there was a higher law of God that superseded the original law. That higher law was the preservation of David, God’s anointed. The Pharisees recognised this.
However, they justified David’s actions while at the same time complaining that Jesus and the disciples were breaking the law of the Sabbath.
Jesus pointed out their inconsistent application of the law, though in this context Jesus and the disciples didn’t violate any Old Testament law. They violated the Pharisees’ interpretation of the Sabbath law.
The priests had to work in violation of Sabbath laws in order to prepare sacrifices because they had to work on the Sabbath in preparation of the sacrifices, Numbers 28:9-10.
However, they were blameless because their God-ordained work to prepare sacrifices for the people superseded the law to rest on the Sabbath.
Someone greater than the temple is here, Matthew 12:6 is a clear reference to Christ, Isaiah 66:1-2 / Matthew 12:41-42. Jesus was more glorious than the temple that the Jews honoured above all things on earth, Haggai 2:7-9 / 2 Chronicles 6:18 / Malachi 3:1 / Hebrews 3:3.
Sacrifice was a law of God, Matthew 12:7, however, mercy was a higher law of God. The Pharisees in their legal understanding and application of the law could not understand this principle concerning the laws of God Hosea 6:6 / Micah 6:6-8.
Jesus here attacks the judgmental attitudes of the Pharisees that motivated them to criticise the plucking of the grain. The One who was in their midst was the One who had authority over the Sabbath. Jesus was of the triune God who instituted the Sabbath. Mark records that Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man, Mark 2:27.
He explained that God had intended for the Sabbath command to provide relief for man, not be an additional burden. The Sabbath was made for the benefit of man, for on the Sabbath men were to rest from their labours, Exodus 20:11. The Pharisees thought that man was made for the Sabbath.
In other words, they believed that God made the Sabbath a holy day of worship in order that men renew their spiritual life and worship to God on this day.
However, God intended it to be a day of rest for man, Exodus 20:10-11. It was thus a law that was established for the physical well-being of man.
Jesus proclaimed His authority over the Sabbath saying that He Himself was Lord of the Sabbath, Mark 2:27-28. If Jesus created the Sabbath, surely, He knew what activities violated it.
The Sabbath was supposed to be a day of blessings and relaxation, free from work but the Jews had turned into a bunch of rules which consisted of dos and don’ts, and with over 613 laws, they always found a way around them.
In reference to the nation of Israel, the Sabbath was given to national Israel as a sign between God and the nation of Israel. When the Old Testament law was abolished, the Sabbath law was also taken away, Colossians 2:16.
‘On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shrivelled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shrivelled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus. Luke 6:6-11
The events recorded here and in Matthew 12:9-10 took place on another Sabbath than the one in the previous verses, Mark 3:1-5 / John 5:10 / John 7:23.
The legalistic Pharisees are here more concerned over the violation of their Sabbath laws than the healing of this man. Such manifests the hypocrisy of religion that is based on an outward manifestation of a legal presentation of religiosity without concentration on the heart for spiritual change.
The Pharisees here seek another opportunity to accuse Jesus of violating their laws of the Sabbath, Mark 7:6-9. They do such in order to accuse Him before the people that He violates the law. Mark records that at this time Jesus was angered by their hardened hearts, Mark 3:5.
It seems that they didn’t doubt that Jesus could miraculously heal the withered hand. They wanted to see if He would do such on the Sabbath. If He did such work on the Sabbath, then they could accuse Him of working against their laws of the Sabbath.
The real conflict here is between the legal and earthly interests of the Pharisees as opposed to the human interests of Jesus. Jesus pointed out that if the Pharisees’ material interests were in danger on the Sabbath, they would do what was necessary to rescue a sheep. However, they were here critical of Jesus because of His human interest in healing on the Sabbath.
By asking, ‘is it lawful’? Jesus was saying that it was always right to do good, Galatians 6:10. It was simply right to do good on the Sabbath in reference to human interests because men are more important than sheep, Matthew 12:11-12.
Notice Mark 3:3, Jesus asks the man ‘to stand up in front of everyone’, Jesus wanted to make a point to these teachers of the Law, He didn’t hide what He was doing.
Jesus then told him to stretch his hand out. Apparently, He neither touched him nor did any other physical thing, He merely asked the man to reach his hand out. When he did, it was healed. Jesus’ critics were furious and began plotting to assassinate Him.
To Save A life Or To Kill!
In Mark 3:4 Jesus asked His opponents, ‘should one save a life or kill on the Sabbath?’ They chose not to reply, which showed that they were not interested in truth, but only wanted to discredit Him.
It is always easy to find fault, but it’s much harder to give a positive recommendation. Normally Christ healed men by laying His hands on them or performing some other physical sign.
If He had accompanied the healing by physical action, in this case, they would have attacked Him for doing medical work on the Sabbath, something contrary to their tradition.
This time, however, Jesus did nothing, He merely told the man to reach his hand out. Mark 3:5. Even Jesus’ enemies didn’t believe it wrong to stretch out your hand on the Sabbath. Thus, He outsmarted His opponents and they were furious.
When a man in an argument begins to get angry, it is a sure sign that he is losing. As it turned out, Jesus’ enemies are the ones who plotted to kill on the Sabbath, because He had done good. The Pharisees and the Herodians who actually were enemies of each other, joined forces to get rid of Jesus.
The Pharisee’s actions show the hardness of heart of those who profess a legal-oriented religion. The Pharisees cared nothing for the man with the withered hand.
Their concern was for their doctrinal strictness in keeping their traditions in reference to the keeping of the Sabbath. By upholding their legal practices in reference to the Sabbath they were maintaining their arrogant positions of leadership among the people.
At this time in the controversy between Jesus and the religious leaders, the tension begins to grow. The Pharisees at this time in the ministry of Jesus schemed to remove Jesus, Luke 6:11.
He was in competition with their positions of leadership, their hypocritical lives and inconsistent beliefs. They were infuriated because He manifested the inconsistencies of their theology and the callousness of their hearts.
Because these religious leaders couldn’t consistently argue with Jesus through correct reasoning from the Old Testament Scriptures, they were frustrated to the point of killing Him.
Religions that are developed with an emphasis on outward appearances and ceremonial worship are often hypocritical in the sense that people can be members of such religions without changed hearts.
The religious leaders in this context manifested the hypocrisy of such religions by planning evil when professing a form of righteousness, Mark 3:6 / Luke 6:11 / John 5:18 / John 10:39 John 11:53.
The Twelve Apostles
‘One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.’ Luke 6:12-16
Jesus needed to train apprentices to represent Him and preach the Gospel after His departure. He chose twelve of His followers for that job. The twelve He chose were an unlikely bunch, included were four fishermen, a tax collector, a revolutionary, Simon the ‘Zealot’, a sceptic, Thomas, and a traitor, Judas Iscariot. Jesus proved that He could work with and make something out of even the most unpromising material.
Luke gives us a fuller account of the event, where we find the addition of very important facts. The major event recorded by Mark is ‘the choosing of the twelve’ and the listing of their names, and we may be excused for thinking that the brevity of Mark’s account is rather surprising, considering the importance of the occasion.
Mark 3:13 says that Jesus ‘went up to a mountain’, but doesn’t mention that His purpose, which Luke reveals, it was ‘to pray’. He tells us, in Mark 6:12 that, before Jesus chose these twelve men, He spent the night alone on the mountain in prayer to God. Please note He wasn’t talking all night long! Effective prayer is a two-way street, it involves both speaking and listening.
The next day He called His disciples to Him and He revealed the names of the twelve men who were later to be called ‘Apostles’, and we cannot avoid thinking that the night spent in prayer had something to do with His choice.
Another thought-provoking thought is that to some of them He gave new names. Simon, He named Peter in Greek ‘Petros’ which is masculine. It’s important to notice this, because Jesus later said, ‘Upon this ‘petra’, feminine, I will build My church’.
James and John were named ‘Boanerges’, ‘sons of thunder’, which may be a reference to some early stage in their lives when they were known to have had a reputation that they had already outgrown, or, which the Lord knew they would outgrow!
There was an occasion, as they travelled with Jesus, when the temper suggested by this name, flashed out. Travelling in Samaria, the anger of the two brothers showed when a Samaritan village wouldn’t give Jesus hospitality for the night because he was a Jew, they reacted angrily. ‘Lord, shall we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’ Luke 9:54.
The re-naming of these men reveals the fact that the Lord knows what we are and what we can become. I wonder if He has another name for each one of us and what that name might be?
These three men, Peter James and John, were the three who were closest to Jesus, whom Jesus took with Him on very special occasions.
1. The house of Jairus, whose daughter He brought back to life.
2. His transfiguration,
3. The garden of Gethsemane.
The very fact that Jesus chose them, suggests that, although He was the Son of God, in His humanity, He felt the need for companionship and support. Indeed, the Scriptures tell us that there were several reasons why in Mark 3:14-15.
He chose these twelve.
1. To be with Him.
2. That He might send them out to preach.
3. To have the power to perform miracles of healing.
He ‘ordained’ them and gave them power and authority. There are several Greek words for ‘ordain’ so that it has several shades of meaning, ‘to appoint; to set in place; to point out; to indicate by pointing the finger.’
Note the difference between power and authority. It’s possible for a person to have ‘power’, but lack the ‘authority’ to use it. Jesus gave the men whom He chose power and the authority to exercise it.
Blessings And Woes
‘He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.’ Luke 6:17-19
Please note this is not the same event we have recorded in Matthew, on that occasion, Jesus spoke on ‘on a mountainside’, Matthew 5:1.
‘Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.’ Luke 6:20
To be ‘poor’ or ‘poor in spirit’, Matthew 5:3, is to feel a deep sense of spiritual poverty. It is to empty ourselves and understand our insignificance in comparison to our Almighty God, Philippians 2:3-4.
To be ‘poor in spirit’ is to have a state of mind that is lowly and reverent before Him. It is to be full of humility, not pride, Luke 18:9-14.
It is impossible to be ‘poor in spirit’ until we realise our spiritual needs. As long as a person delights in sin, they won’t be ‘poor in spirit,’ and they won’t seek the Saviour since they don’t feel a necessity for Him, Matthew 9:12.
To be ‘poor in spirit’ is a joyful condition because when we become aware of our sinfulness and hopelessness without God, we will seek the ‘kingdom of heaven’ and find hope therein.
‘Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.’ Luke 6:21
Jesus declared that those who hunger, that is, hunger for righteousness, Matthew 5:6, feel an intense desire for righteousness, that which is right or just shall obtain it.
Hungering and thirsting after righteousness is an attitude, a frame of mind, which realises God’s Word, is ‘righteousness’, Psalm 119:172. It is spiritual food that is needed to grow stronger, 1 Peter 2:2 / Matthew 4:4.
What type of person doesn’t get hungry or thirsty physically? The person who is either sick or dead! The same is true spiritually. If a person doesn’t have a strong desire to grow spiritually and feed on God’s Word daily, then they are either spiritually sick or dead, 1 Corinthians 11:30. May those who desire righteousness do so like a deer pants for water, Psalm 42:1-2.
If we yearn to be ‘filled’ and to find true, lasting joy, we must put the kingdom of God first and seek His righteousness, Matthew 6:33.
Luke uses the word, ‘weep’, while Matthew uses the word ‘mourn,’ Matthew 5:4. In the Greek language, the strongest word for ‘mourn’ is used here.
This term indicates a type of mourning that cannot be hidden. The blessing here is not upon all who mourn, those with worldly sorrow would be excluded, 2 Corinthians 7:10.
Those who mourn because of sin and consequently repent are the ones who will be blessed, James 4:8-10. Such a person mourns over sin from a tender conscience and broken heart, realising that it’s their own sin that separates them from God spiritually, Isaiah 59:1-2.
Luke uses the word ‘laugh’, while Matthew uses the word ‘comforted’, Matthew 5:4. After we realise our sinfulness, we can be ‘comforted’ by the discovery and acceptance of God’s pardon, made possible by obedience to the saving Gospel, Romans 1:16 / Romans 6:17.
‘Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.’ Luke 6:20-23
To be ‘persecuted for righteousness’ sake’ Matthew 5:10, is to suffer at the hands of others for doing right. This is much different than being punished for wrongdoing, 1 Peter 4:12-16.
It should be realised that in order to maintain peace, we must sometimes suffer persecution. If we are faithful to the Lord, we should expect persecution, 2 Timothy 3:12 / John 15:18-20.
We should react to persecution as Christ did. He didn’t retaliate but denied Himself. He didn’t develop grudges but had a spirit of forgiveness.
He didn’t become depressed but grew stronger and closer to His Father. Those who suffer because of their loyalty to the kingdom of heaven are blessed by being bound more closely to the kingdom for which they suffer.
The joy in being persecuted is found when we realise, that we are suffering for the Name of Christ, Acts 5:41 / Acts 16:22-25. All who suffer as faithful servants of the Lord should ‘leap for joy’, Luke 6:23.
Though Christians should live joyfully here on Earth, their ultimate reward will be ‘in heaven,’ Matthew 5:11-12. Let it always be remembered that the suffering experienced here is nothing in comparison to the bliss God has in store for His faithful children, Romans 8:18.
Also, Christians should find comfort and strength in the example of the prophets and the Christ, 1 Peter 2:21-24. Understanding that persecution for righteousness’ sake is not a sign of God’s disfavour.
Persecution should be embraced, not resisted, as a way to further develop our character through suffering, James 1:2-4 / Romans 5:3-5.
‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.’ Luke 6:24-26
Jesus now gives us four woes.
1. The rich have already been comforted.
2. The well-fed will go hungry.
3. Those who laugh will mourn and weep.
4. Those who are well spoken of, will be treated like false prophets.
These four woes are for those who have materialistically satisfied themselves at the expense of others. The wealthy had collected a lot of riches but forgot about the basic needs of their fellow man, James 5:1-6.
They were obsessed with materialistic living and ate the finest food, and rejoiced at the same time, all of which was done without a second thought for the poor around them, Proverbs 14:13 / James 4:9.
They loved it when people spoke well of them, in terms of what they taught, and just like their ancestors before them, they pretend to be of God, but they delivered their own doctrines as the truth of God, and who accommodated themselves to the desires of the people.
Boles, in his commentary, says the following.
‘These words were not the expression of anger, but lamentation and warning. ‘Woe unto you,’ or ‘alas for you!’ Jesus is not uttering condemnation as a judge, but as the great Teacher and Prophet, he declares the miserable condition of certain classes and warns them against it.’
Love For Enemies
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.’ If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.’ Luke 6:27-36
The Old Testament law nowhere stated that they should ‘hate his enemies.’ This was a false interpretation by the Jews, Leviticus 19:17-18.
Therefore, Jesus doesn’t here argue against the Old Testament law, but against those who falsely interpret it for their own personal desires. The principle of loving our neighbour fulfils all that the law would command concerning our duty toward our fellow man, Matthew 22:35-40.
The principle of loving our enemies is valid and binding upon everyone who follows Christ. There’s no room in the Christian’s heart, especially since they’ve had their sins forgiven, to have hatred towards anyone.
The kind of love used in our text doesn’t necessarily refer to sentimental and affectionate love as we have towards our own family members.
The kind of love meant here is the love manifested by God Himself in that He sends rain on the good and evil, etc. The implication is that Christians should treat their enemies with fairness and impartiality, doing unto them as they would desire people should do unto themselves.
Underlying these verses is the challenge that Christians should ‘be merciful, just as your Father is merciful,’ Matthew 5:48. That’s what it’s really all about, that Christians should be like the pure and holy God whom we are taught to worship through Christ.
God loves sinners, even dying for them while they were yet in sin, so, Christians should love all men, sinners included, even their own personal enemies!
To live the other way is to be no better than a publican, the gatherer of the Roman taxes and, in the Jewish dictionary, that was about as low as a man could get!
The character that Jesus has just explained identifies those who are of the spirit of the Father, and thus, sons of the Father. God’s love is impartial, He loved us when we were His enemies, Romans 5:8.
Christ here pronounced a new and thrilling principle to take the place of the old proverb that ‘One rotten apple will spoil a barrel of good apples!’ That is, ‘One good apple can heal a barrel of rotten apples!’
Only Christ could have revealed such an exciting new and effective doctrine as this. A true heart isn’t one of malice or hate, hearts of malice and hate, identify those individuals who are of the world. Luke adds here that we should do good to and pray for our enemies.
There is no reward in a love that acts out of selfish motives to do something for others for the purpose of receiving something in return, Luke 6:27-28.
True love must be unconditional, it mustn’t seek a reward. These Jews worked as tax collectors for the Roman government, and thus, were despised by the Jews. They were allowed to take a portion of the taxes that they collected.
If we embrace only those of his approval, then there is no true manifestation of love. The disciples’ greetings must extend beyond what the world would do to and for itself. God’s people are to be different in that they are disciples who unconditionally love others.
They are expected by God to do more than those who are outside a covenant relationship with God. Jesus establishes a needed high standard of conduct in order that His disciples be made aware of their need for salvation and their need to struggle in order to have the kingdom reign of Jesus within them.
The word ‘perfect’, Matthew 5:48, can refer only to one who is complete as a result of God’s accredited righteousness that results from His grace. Christians aren’t perfect in behaviour but are perfect in Christ through the blood of Jesus, Colossians 1:28 / Colossians 1:28.
In what way would Jesus’ teaching on loving and praying for our enemies help us in our outreach efforts? It certainly tells us that we will have enemies and we will be persecuted at times, but it also teaches us to continue to love them and pray for them.
Remember that prayer may not change their attitude towards you, but it may change your attitude towards them, John 15:18-21.
Judging Others
‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.’ Luke 6:37-42
Jesus in Matthew 7:1-5 and here teaches against the legalistic judging that the Pharisees were practising, their self-righteous legal system of doctrine moved them to be critical of others who didn’t agree with them on every point of their theology.
The word ‘judge’ used here is the Greek word, ‘krino’ which is used in places like, John 12:48 / Acts 17:31 / 2 Timothy 4:1.
The use of the word, ‘judge’ therefore is speaking about the kind of judging that speaks of someone’s salvation, or the lack of it, in others. Christians shouldn’t practice this kind of judging, after all, not even Christ did this while He was on earth, John 12:47.
The problem with judging someone in terms of their salvation is sinful because God is the judge and He knows people’s hearts and motives better than anyone, and He has a date set for this kind of judging, 1 Corinthians 4:4-5.
Luke tells us that we shouldn’t judge or condemn but ‘forgive’, why? Luke 6:37. Because we have been forgiven and we need forgiveness as much as the next person and who are we to withhold forgiveness from others, when we needed it so much ourselves? Luke 6:37 / Matthew 18:21-35.
Luke tells us to ‘give’, Luke 6:38. It’s the nature of godly people to behave as God. God is a giver, and so, His people should give. Those who love their brothers and sisters in Christ don’t stand in judgment over them.
The thrust of what Jesus states here is that we will be dealt with in final judgment by God in the same manner by which we treat our fellow man, James 2:12-13.
Therefore, when we measure mercy to others, God will in turn measure mercy to us, Luke 6:38. That’s the biggest problem with this kind of judging, it’s judging with condemnation attached. In other words, they become the judge, juror and jailor.
Luke also adds a parable, Luke 6:39, which basically means, that those who are spiritually dead can’t lead anyone onto a spiritual life, because both are spiritually blind. No one can lead above and beyond his own spiritual stature, Luke 6:40.
Those who disciple others will lead them to be like themselves. If the teacher is spiritually blind, the student will become like his teacher, spiritually blind too, John 13:16 / John 15:20.
We must always look at others with an attitude of love, otherwise, legalism moves us to be critical and unmerciful in judgment concerning another’s beliefs and life. God will severely judge those who harbour such attitudes toward our fellow man, Matthew 18:21-35.
‘You’re judging me!’ is a common response uttered by many today whose toes are stepped on by the truth. The implication is that no one has the right to draw attention to a fault in their life. Although some forms of judging are prohibited by Scripture, there are other types that we are commanded to engage in.
The Bible is a beautiful book, isn’t it? It contains the wonderful message of God’s love for us. Part of the beauty of God’s Word is its simplicity. In my Bible, the New Testament is only about 250 pages long! Yet, I’ve seen commentaries written by men that consume the same amount of space in only discussing one New Testament book!
We tend to make things unnecessarily complicated, but, in general, God doesn’t do this. God has given us His inspired, revealed will and we can understand it if we diligently desire to do so.
But, at the same time, we need to realise that there are a few things in the Bible that are somewhat difficult to comprehend. Peter acknowledges this very thing concerning Paul’s letters, 2 Peter 3:16.
Essentially, he says that those who are unstable and untaught will twist the Scriptures to their own destruction when they encounter a passage that is difficult to understand! That is, they misuse these difficult passages by teaching error, and they will suffer the loss of their souls as a result.
What should we do when we encounter a passage of Scripture that is difficult for us to understand? We should be very careful, careful to study the verses completely in context and careful to consider all other passages on the same topic.
If we do this, we can have some confidence that we are not twisting the Scriptures to our own destruction. We must always remember that if we come to a conclusion that is contrary to clear Biblical teaching elsewhere, then we’ve made a mistake and our conclusion, whatever it may be, is invalid.
I wrote all that to help prepare us for analysing one difficult passage in the New Testament, however, I don’t believe that Jesus intended His words to be difficult to understand.
For some people these words are difficult. Many incorrectly believe that these verses teach us that it’s absolutely wrong to judge others. This is simply not true, it is not always wrong to judge others.
Jesus is laying down a general principle here, but He isn’t limiting all types of judging. How do we know? Well, the Scriptures authorise certain actions that simply cannot be done without humans exercising judgment upon others.
Let me give you a few examples to think about.
1. Consider our judicial system.
God has given authority to civil governments to make judgments, Romans 13:1-7, and we are to obey our leaders unless they instruct us to go against the Lord’s ways, Acts 5:29.
2. Consider the church.
The body of Christ has the responsibility to exercise judgment on those who walk disorderly. The judgment to be exercised is that of discipline or withdrawal of fellowship. Numerous passages support this truth, Matthew 18:15-20 / 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 / 1 Corinthians 5.
3. Look at the immediate context.
We are not to cast our pearls before swine, Matthew 7:6. But, how can we obey this command without making some judgments? Jesus warns His followers to beware of false teachers, Matthew 7:15.
However, if we could never make judgments about individuals, then how could it ever be determined who is a false teacher and who isn’t?
4. The title of this lesson proves that judging others is not always wrong.
The title comes from John 7:24, which is a direct quote from the Lord Himself! Jesus instructs us in that verse to judge with righteous judgment, and we will consider exactly what that means shortly.
But, for now, it should be exceedingly clear that God requires us to make certain types of judgments, and thus Matthew 7:1, must not be interpreted as an absolute prohibition against all types of judging.
If this doesn’t mean that all types of human judging are wrong, then what type of judging is Jesus speaking against here? I believe the Lord is speaking against judging that is unmerciful, hypocritical, or vengeful.
Let’s consider these three aspects one at a time.
1. We must not judge unmercifully.
If we aren’t merciful to humans in our dealings with them, then they are not likely to be merciful to us, Matthew 7:2. The way they judge us will be a reflection of the way we have judged them.
Remember Haman? He was hanged on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, Esther 7. What Solomon said truly applies to the realm of human judging, Ecclesiastes 10:8.
And, even more importantly, eventually, we will all be judged by God Himself, and He will take into consideration the way we have judged others. If we are merciful, He will be merciful to us.
If we are cold, unloving, and unforgiving toward others, God will treat us similarly, Matthew 5:7 / James 2:13 / Matthew 18:21-35. Jesus has little use for followers with harsh, bitter, and fault-finding spirits.
2. We must not judge hypocritically.
This seems to be the fundamental thrust of Matthew 7:3-5. Jesus uses the term ‘hypocrite’ for those who judge others and do not examine themselves first. They are in no position to judge others or assist them when they suffer from an even greater problem!
Both parties described have a problem with sin, depicted by the speck and plank in their eyes, Matthew 7:3-4. Common sense tells us that both need to remove the foreign objects, that is sin from their eyes, that is life.
The plank of wood in our own eye expresses the hypocritical mistake of the legalistic judge who considers themselves righteous while judging the faults of another in comparison to their own self-righteousness.
Their system of religion moves them to be judgmental of small matters in the lives of others who don’t conform to their regimented beliefs, while at the same time there is a major flaw in their own life.
This is basically a picture of a person who ignores his own grievous sins while trying to correct the relatively minor shortcomings of another.
The speck of dust and the plank represent the inequality between that which is tiny, insignificant, almost invisible, and that which is obvious, flagrant, and obtrusive.
The legal system of judgment by which the faultfinder lives makes it impossible for them to be an objective judge of others. In order for us to correctly evaluate others, we must first recognise our own sinful state, Galatians 6:1.
Don’t miss this important point here, just because someone has a speck of dust in their eye, doesn’t mean they can ignore it, Jesus says it still needs to be removed, and this is done by admitting that we have faults, and we need forgiveness, 1 John 1:8-10.
Christians mustn’t allow sin to reside in their lives even to a small degree. When a person has successfully overcome a problem with a particular sin, they will then be in a better position to assist someone else with a similar problem.
Those who are no longer in sin will be better able to ‘see clearly’ and assist others, Matthew 7:5. Jesus isn’t condemning this type of judging but encouraging it.
Paul elaborates upon this thought in Galatians 6:1. It is not wrong to realise that a brother or sister has a problem with sin. It’s not wrong to confront them and help them overcome it.
However, if we are burdened with the same sin ourselves, or perhaps one even more heinous, then we aren’t going to be able to do them much good. Often, humans engage in hypocritical judging without even being aware of it.
I’m reminded of the true story I read about two well-known preachers of the past. One of the men admired the other very greatly and had an opportunity to meet him one day. The admired preacher answered the door with a cigar in his mouth.
The other preacher was aghast, he couldn’t believe it! He bluntly asked, ‘how can you, a man of God, smoke that?’ In response, the other preacher pulled the cigar from his mouth, put his finger on his visitor’s rather inflated stomach, smiled and said, ‘the same way as you, a man of God, could be that fat’.
What can we learn from these two men? Humans are often blind to their own vices. Both of these men had a problem, namely, they were not taking care of their bodies as they should, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
We must be good stewards of our physical bodies just as we are of our time and other resources. We should take care of our bodies to the best of our ability.
Being significantly overweight and smoking are both provably bad for our health. We should try to help one another overcome problems like these. But, let us be careful not to judge others hypocritically.
These men were guilty of it and so are we sometimes. Even great men like David have been guilty of it! 2 Samuel 11 / 2 Samuel 12:1-7. Let us be exceedingly careful in our efforts to avoid hypocritical judgment.
3. We must not judge vengefully.
Although it isn’t mentioned explicitly in this passage, Jesus seems to also be condemning judgment that is vengeful. Embedded in the Greek word for ‘judge’ in Matthew 7:1, is the idea of condemning someone and even sentencing them.
We don’t have the right to do this as individuals, even if we have been wronged by someone, Romans 12:19. God is the ultimate judge. He has reserved the right of vengeance for Himself.
So far, we’ve seen that there is a wrong kind of judging. When we judge without mercy, when we judge hypocritically, or when we judge vengefully, we are not being pleasing to God. But what about the right kind of judging?
John 7:24 instructs us to ‘judge with righteous judgment’. How can we know if our judgment is righteous? I believe the key to judging righteously is found in our attitude.
We must have a good attitude in order to judge righteously, an attitude that manifests several characteristics. Some of these characteristics have already been indirectly mentioned, but now let’s examine them more closely.
1. To judge righteously, one must have an attitude of love.
Our love should be seen at all times, but especially when we are confronting someone regarding sin in their life, John 13:35.
2. To judge righteously, one must have an attitude of consideration and compassion.
Paul wrote about being humble toward one another, valuing them more than we do ourselves. To put their interests first, in Philippians 2:3-4. Peter wrote about being sympathetic towards each other, to love one another, to be compassionate and humble, in 1 Peter 3:8.
To correct someone in sin should not be a joyful privilege but a serious duty, James 5:19-20. We should feel compassion for a brother or sister who is overtaken in sin, we should not rejoice in their shortcomings or think ourselves superior. If we aren’t humble and spiritually minded, Galatians 6:1, then we aren’t well equipped to help someone else overcome their sins.
3. To judge righteously, one must have an attitude of forgiveness.
May we never forget that ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’, Romans 3:23. That would include you and me. When we identify sin in the life of someone else, we cannot do it from the perspective of perfection, none of us are sinless.
Instead, as Christians, we should be addressing sin in the life of someone else from the perspective of having been forgiven an exceedingly large debt ourselves, Matthew 18:21-35.
4. To judge righteously, one must have an attitude of self-examination.
This point has already been addressed earlier, though it can be supplemented well with two passages, 2 Corinthians 13:5 / Romans 2:21.
When we are loving, considerate, compassionate, and willing to forgive others and examine ourselves, then we’re ready to use the Word of God to judge others, not according to appearances, but righteously. We can only do this by examining fruit, Matthew 7:20.
When examining the actions and words of others, we must ask, are these actions and words in harmony with the Bible? This is how judgments should be made, not according to my personal likes or dislikes, but according to the Scriptures. We should be making judgments like this all the time.
Even as write, you should be examining my words and judging whether or not I speak the truth. This is a good thing, Acts 17:11. Let it also be observed on this point that we must be exceedingly careful in judging a person’s intentions since we don’t know the hearts of men like God does, Romans 8:27-29.
Caution is always in order in this regard. If the Bible is the standard we use for judging, and we use it correctly with a proper heart, then we will not go wrong, because in essence, we are merely passing down the judgment that God has already given! Psalm 119:172.
Righteous judgment can only be based upon the Word of God! For example, if we know that a person is engaging in sexual immorality and we go to them humbly and tell them that they are sinning and need to repent, they might respond by saying, ‘we’re judging them and that I have no right to do so’, but, they’re wrong.
We’re merely passing down God’s judgment that He has made known through His word. We shouldn’t be there addressing this person if we’re not interested in trying to help them.
We shouldn’t be there if we don’t love them and their soul. We shouldn’t be there if we ourselves are not right before God. If we’re a hypocrite or if our motives are improper, the chances of them repenting is very unlikely.
The same could be said for any sin, not just sexual immorality. If we know that a person is teaching false doctrine, if we know that a person is using profanity, if we know that a person is walking disorderly, etc., then we have a responsibility to help them.
Our own life needs to be right first and then, with God’s Word and a proper attitude, we can help others. But we can only judge them by their fruits with the Word of God, for this is what we ourselves will be judged by, John 12:48.
There is a right way to judge and a wrong way. It is only when we have a ‘clear vision,’ a proper, helpful attitude, all the facts in perspective, and a knowledge of God’s Word that a just and correct judgment on any issue can be made.
Why would judging our brothers and sisters condemningly damage our outreach efforts? It gives the impression that some are more ‘righteous’ than others, it gives the impression that others need ‘more’ forgiveness than others, Romans 3:10 / Romans 3:23.
Let us abstain from improper judgment and practice righteous judgment as God expects us to and let us be wise enough to receive it gracefully from others.
In the first century, dogs and pigs, Matthew 7:6, were considered to be unclean animals, they were not domesticated and were sometimes fierce. The connection of this verse to the previous ones is not obvious.
Jesus had been speaking about judging in Matthew 7:1-5. Perhaps Jesus is now trying to prevent His disciples from drawing the false conclusion that all judging is wrong.
The Lord commands that holy things are not be given to dogs, and pearls are not be thrown before pigs. Obviously, in order to obey this command, some judging is necessary, but what does Jesus mean by these statements?
Let’s first state what we know His prohibition does not mean.
1. He does not mean that there are some who should not have the opportunity to hear the Gospel.
The Gospel message is for all, God wants all to come to the knowledge of the truth, Mark 16:15 / 1 Timothy 2:4.
2. He does not mean that we are to predetermine which individuals would be good prospects for conversion.
Who would have ever known that Saul of Tarsus, the great persecutor of the church, would be an ideal prospect for Christianity, Acts 9.
3, He does not mean that we are to have a self-righteous attitude and withhold the Gospel from those who aren’t ‘righteous’ like us.
We are to esteem others as better than ourselves and look out for their best interests, Philippians 2:3-4.
Now that we’ve mentioned some common misconceptions in this passage, let’s talk about what Jesus does mean in this verse. Quite simply, Jesus is warning us that certain things cannot be given to some individuals or types of persons.
Specifically, He means that we should be wise in our attempts to preach to individuals who thrust the Gospel away and reject it. The most holy things ought not to be offered indiscriminately to all persons, the dogs and swine refer to people who are mean and vicious and who have no desire to apprehend spiritual things.
When the precious spiritual truths of love and mercy are extended toward the ruthless and hard-hearted, they are received with criticism and mockery. How someone receives the pearls of truth determines his true nature.
Once a vicious nature is discovered, then it’s useless to offer opportunity by continual preaching and teaching the precious truths to the one who continually rejects such.
When we encounter individuals, who don’t want anything to do with the Gospel, we should ‘shake the dust off our feet,’ Matthew 10:14, and go to those who want it. We can’t do this without making a judgment!
It is a foolish waste of precious time to try to force the Gospel on those who resist it, for they don’t understand the beauty or value of it, and persistent presentation of it only provokes their anger! Nevertheless, in order to determine whether or not one actually will reject the Gospel, they must first be given a chance to hear it.
To judge anyone on the basis of physical appearances or habits and conclude that they would not be interested in the Gospel is premature judgment and wrong!
Let us strive for a humble attitude as we preach God’s saving Gospel to all but let us also cherish and respect the preciousness of it by not forcing it upon those who reject it and are unappreciative of our efforts, Acts 17:32, i.e., the dogs and pigs of our day. For New Testament examples of this, Matthew 21:23-27 / Acts 13:42-52 / Acts 19:9.
Although we are not to judge vengefully, unmercifully, or hypocritically toward our fellow man, there must be some discerning of character based upon the evidence at hand, Matthew 7:20. May God give us wisdom in this regard!
A Tree And Its Fruit
‘No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.’ Luke 6:43-45
Jesus here speaks about what comes out of our hearts, in other words, a person behaves according to what they have in their heart. If they have evil in their heart, then they will act will evil intentions, however, if they have good in their heart, then they will act with good intentions, Galatians 5:13-14.
Matthew gives us a little more detail here in Matthew 7:15-20. The term ‘prophets’ technically only includes those who claim inspiration, though practically speaking it would include any teacher who claims to be delivering a message from deity, either directly via inspiration or indirectly via the Scriptures.
Consequently, Jesus’ warning should be considered as potentially applicable to any who claims to teach God’s ways to anyone, myself included.
A false teacher should be characterised as one whose teachings do not harmonise with God’s Word and as one who is unwilling to repent of their erroneous views when brought to their attention.
Although there are many teachers with an outward demeanour of innocence and gentleness, Jesus says that some of them are ravenous wolves inwardly, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.
They will devour many souls, leading themselves and others down the pathway to destruction, 2 Peter 2:1-3. But, how can one distinguish between a sheep and a wolf in sheep’s clothing, since their appearance is essentially the same?
The answer is simple, we must examine their ‘fruit’! That is, we must examine their actions and their teachings carefully and determine if such is in harmony with God’s Word or not.
We must make judgments of this sort all the time. Even at this very moment, you should be examining my words and judging whether or not I am writing the truth, Acts 17:11.
It’s entirely possible to have a good tree and a bad tree that look nearly identical in trunk, limbs, and leaves, yet they differ in the quality of fruit they produce. This is why we must be ‘fruit inspectors.’ And, when one inspects ‘fruit,’ we must use God’s standard for determining what is good, Galatians 5:22-23.
Eventually, the hypocrisy of all false teachers will be exposed by those who observe them carefully. Such must be true because, as the Lord declared, ‘a bad tree bears bad fruit’.
It would be unwise to interpret Jesus’ statement in Matthew 7:18 in an absolute way. Surely there are good trees physically that may occasionally produce a bad piece of fruit. Likewise, it would seem reasonable to suggest that a bad tree might occasionally produce a good piece of fruit.
Jesus’ point should be viewed as a general truth. Good trees are the ones that generally produce good fruit. If a tree is producing a quantity of bad fruit, then that tree itself cannot be good. The same is true with people.
The Scriptures teach elsewhere that the duty of man is to fear God and obey Him, Ecclesiastes 12:13. Fulfilling this duty is synonymous with bearing good fruit. If we aren’t fulfilling the duty for which we were created, God will eventually throw us into the eternal fire.
God calls us to be fruit inspectors. While we have no right to sentence and condemn others, Matthew 7:1, we are to discern or judge whether or not a person is a false teacher.
We should not blindly accept or support any spiritual idea or religious person. We must carefully test the fruit and hold fast to that which is good, 1 Thessalonians 5:21.
And, may we realise that others are examining the fruit we produce! If we’re a ‘good tree’, keep producing for the Lord! If we’re a ‘bad tree’, repent while we still can, for the axe of God’s judgment and the fire of His wrath are approaching!
The Wise And Foolish Builders
‘Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” Luke 6:46-49
Jesus’ question about calling Him ‘Lord, Lord, but don’t’ do what He says’ is elaborated more in Matthew 7:21-23.
I wonder how many people are going to come up before the Lord’s counter, expecting to get into heaven even though they are not truly prepared.
Many feel they are right with God, but they make sincere yet big mistakes in their life choices, expecting God to make an exception for them. Jesus, as He neared the conclusion of His Sermon on the Mount, delivered some hard words relating to this theme.
Jesus spoke the truth plainly, didn’t He? It’s not enough just to cry out, ‘Lord, Lord!’ We must do the will of the heavenly Father if we hope to be saved!
These verses clearly disprove the notion of salvation by faith only, though many denominations teach such. We must obey the will of the heavenly Father to the best of our ability, Luke 6:46.
There are ‘many’, Matthew 7:13, who will try to rationalise their way into heaven by listing certain accomplishments or acts of service, but it won’t work.
The problem ultimately is that the Lord doesn’t know them! In spite of the fact that they have done some good deeds, they are guilty of practising sinful behaviour, ‘lawlessness’!
They are not right before God in taking the broad path that leads to destruction. They feel that they deserve salvation for certain acts of service, even though they haven’t genuinely been obedient.
Many religious people believe in Jesus and have the appearance of righteousness but will end up in hell, even though they feel they should not receive condemnation.
Let it be understood that to prophesy, cast out demons, or do many wonders does not excuse anyone from obeying God’s revealed will! As important as these actions may appear to people, to do these things doesn’t necessarily mean that they are producing good fruit, to obey God is to produce good fruit!
When we stand before God’s throne in judgment, the stakes are of an eternal nature. Those who are sincere but wrong won’t make it into the heavenly abode. We must do everything within our power to ensure that we are not of that number! We must believe and obey God’s word today!
Jesus told the parable of the wise and foolish builders at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. He made sure His audience understood the meaning by explaining it.
After all of the teachings in the sermon, it was important that the people understood that simply listening to His words was not enough.
In Luke’s account of this parable Jesus begins by asking the question, ‘Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?’ Luke 6:46.
Human nature is such that most who heard His powerful words that day would walk away impressed but not changed, most would hear but not do.
Thus, Jesus challenged His listeners to action. He wants all to be wise men who hear and do, such can be described as building our ‘house on the rock’.
That’s the real point which Jesus is driving home. We cannot just say we are Christians or be a part of the church or read the Bible and then not do what the Word of God says, John 13:17 / Luke 6:47 / James 1:22. This kind of life will not stand up against the problems that come our way in life.
In the area of Palestine, there were low valleys and gullies that had been exposed to water from rain and storms. During heavy rainfall, these became swollen rivers that washed away everything in their paths. The Jordan river was one which often was swollen especially in the wintertime, as the snow melted from the mountains.
Notice that Jesus mentions rains, floods, and winds, which suggest oppositions from above, beneath, and all around, Luke 6:48-49. The stability of the wise man’s house was due to the fact that it was built, not upon ‘a rock,’ but upon ‘THE rock’! Matthew 7:25 / Luke 6:48.
Who or what is the rock? The rock is nothing more nor less than ‘these words of mine,’ namely, the words of Christ, Matthew 7:24 / Matthew 7:26 / Luke 6:47 / Luke 6:49.
Only the life founded upon and guided by the principles of Christ shall stand. His teaching is the rock, all else is shifting sand.
It should be noted that the difference between these two builders is not in their craftsmanship or the quality of materials used. It can be assumed that both men do their best in building their ‘house’. However, the difference is that one chose their foundation wisely, while the other was careless, Luke 6:48 makes this point clear.
A foolish builder would build his house without thinking about what kind of foundation there was. He might have liked the way the building site looked. Perhaps he decided to ignore the warnings of people who had experienced the past floods.
That’s how we live our lives if we don’t live them according to the Word of God. We just do what feels right at the time. We don’t listen to warnings or we ignore God’s wisdom, Proverbs 14:12.
Sand is always moving, always shifting, always changing and it’s unstable, Matthew 7:26-27. Many people believe that because they belong to a certain religious group their house would stand.
Some think if they build on their good deeds, their house will stand. Some think if they build on their righteousness, their house will stand. Some build on their own wisdom and understanding and believe their house will stand.
There are many people who build their lives on shifting sand. They may listen to sermons and Bible classes, but they don’t live according to what the Bible says.
The wise builder, on the other hand, carefully plans his house. He investigates the building site to make sure that it will sustain his building.
He judges the soil and elevation to make sure that there are no flood hazards. He will listen to the warnings of those who know the area. He builds with confidence and knows his building will last.
In like manner, anyone who builds their character, i.e., their ‘house’, by hearing and doing what Jesus teaches will stand approved of God on the Day of Judgment, their house will not ‘fall’, 1 Corinthians 3:11 / Matthew 10:22.
As the hymn writer says, ‘On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand.’ Psalm 62:6.
We can live our lives with confidence when we live according to the Word of God, but we must remember, it’s not just about listening to the Word of God or talking about the Word of God but it’s about doing! It’s about putting the Word of God into practice in our lives, James 1:22-25 / John 14:23-24.
Everyone who hears the Word of God is building a house. The one who hears God’s Word but doesn’t do what it says is like a foolish builder who builds his house on sand. That house will be crushed in a storm, Matthew 7:27 / Luke 6:49.
The one who hears the Word of God and obeys it is like a wise man that builds his house on solid rock, Matthew 7:24-25 / Luke 6:47-48. That house will stand up to any storm. Wise people build their faith on the foundation of God’s Word. This faith stands strong against the storms of life.
Jesus ended, not with words of comfort, but with words of tragedy, ‘it fell with a great crash,’ Matthew 7:24 / Luke 6:9. Even a single lost soul is a terrible waste in the eyes of God.
How can Jesus’ teaching about the wise and foolish builders help us in our outreach efforts? It’s short, simple and straight to the point. We meet lots of people with different religious backgrounds but sadly many are built on sand. We can use this example of Jesus to help them build a solid foundation on truth.
