Luke 6 Study Notes

6:27-49 The remainder of the Sermon on the Plain in this section deals with the attitudes and actions of those who are followers of Jesus.

6:27-30 Christ’s disciples are to be characterized by actions of love (loving enemies, doing good to those who hate you, blessing those who curse you, praying for those who mistreat you, not retaliating against violence) and generosity (lit “giving the shirt off your back,” lending and not expecting repayment).

6:31 This verse is usually referred to as the Golden Rule. This is apparently a restatement of the second greatest commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Lv 19:18).

6:32-34 Jesus discussed the logic of selfless love. It is not the kind of love his disciples display if they just return the love someone has shown them, or do . . . good to someone as a sort of repayment, or lend when they are certain to be repaid. There is no spiritual credit in God’s eyes for such behavior since even many unsaved sinners behave this way. Christians are to practice a deeper, selfless love.

6:35-36 The reward for obeying Jesus’s command to love your enemies, do . . . good and lend without expecting repayment will be great, though much of it will not be in this life. But your selfless love will reflect that you are children of the Most High. He is gracious and merciful to all people, and disciples of Jesus are to follow his example.

6:37 The problems here are hypocritical judgment, short-sighted condemnation, and an unforgiving spirit. These warnings do not mean that Jesus’s followers should not practice careful discernment (judgment).

6:38 “Measure” involves weighing and judging. Be fair to others, because the measure you use will return to you. If you are generous, generosity will be returned to you in full measure. If you are stingy and uncharitable, such will be the standards by which you are judged.

6:39-40 This parable is a warning about following the wrong person. Spiritually blind leaders mislead disciples.

6:41-42 A person is a hypocrite (Gk hupokrites, “one who pretends to be someone else”) if one harshly criticizes a small weakness (a splinter) in another person’s life while overlooking a large fault (beam of wood) in one’s own. We are in no position to criticize another person until we have dealt with our own shortcomings.

6:43-45 The type of fruit produced is determined by the type of tree that produces it. A person’s actions and words come from the heart, whether good or evil.

6:46-49 The illustration of building on a solid foundation versus building without a foundation points out the necessity for a disciple’s behavior to be consistent with his stated commitment. The difference between a life that can withstand storms and one that cannot depends not just on whether one comes to Christ and hears his words but also whether one acts on his teachings.