Luke 6:36

36 Our Father is kind; you be kind.

Luke 6:36 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 6:36

Be ye therefore merciful
Tenderhearted, kind, beneficent to all men, friends and foes:

as your Father also is merciful;
that is your Father which is in heaven; who is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works: nothing is more common in Zohar ^F25, and the Talmud ^F26 than to express the Divine Being by no other name, than "the Merciful"; (rma) (anmxr) , "the Merciful said" so, and so; that is, God: and so the Arabians generally begin their books and chapters with these words, "in the name of God, exceeding merciful", or "the merciful commiserator": a saying much like to this in the text, is the Targum of Jonathan, on ( Leviticus 22:28 ) .

``O my people, the children of "Israel, as your father", (Nmxr) , "is merciful" in heaven, so be ye merciful on earth.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Zohar in Lev. fol. 2. 2. & 9. 4. & 20. 1. & 22. 1.
F26 T. Bab. Moed Katon, fol. 15. 2.

Luke 6:36 In-Context

34 If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.

35 "I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never - I promise - regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst.

36 Our Father is kind; you be kind.

37 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier.

38 Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back - given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."