Luke 6:1-9

Luke 6:1-2 - -1 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. 2 - Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"

The Message: © 2002, Peterson: (1-2) On a certain Sabbath Jesus was walking through a field of ripe grain. His disciples were pulling off heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands to get rid of the chaff, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, "Why are you doing that, breaking a Sabbath rule?" (3-4 ) But Jesus stood up for them. "Have you never read what David and those with him did when they were hungry? How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? He also handed it out to his companions."

Verses 3-4 - 3 - Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 - 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."

The Message: © 2002, Peterson: (3-4 ) But Jesus stood up for them. "Have you never read what David and those with him did when they were hungry? How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? He also handed it out to his companions."

One suspects that the disciples are doing what they have always done – feeding themselves whenever they were hungry. They were not Pharisees. Nor were they trained holy men. But now they were under a microscope because they were following Jesus. The Pharisees wonder why Jesus dos not rebuke their crude, irreverent, and “unlawful” behavior. His answer comes from 1 Samuel 21:1-7 and 22:9-10.He seems to suggest that people and their needs are more important than ritual regulations.

q Have you ever seen new believers criticized because they do not know and observe all the “house rules of decorum?”

q What are some traditions and rules that exist in churches that may not be biblically mandated but we use to judge people?

Verse 5-Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

The Message: © 2002, Peterson: (5)Then he said, "The Son of Man is no slave to the Sabbath; he's in charge."

From the NIV Commentary: Jesus' analogy is neat, because it raises an example, sanctioned by Scripture, where the letter of the law was not kept. Thus Jesus becomes an interpreter of the law, either by interpreting its real intended scope or by bringing a new law that shows the old law is passing away. … the declaration of Jesus' authority is clear, for he explains, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

The question for us is this: Is Jesus Christ the Lord of all my religious beliefs, rules, practices, devotions, and “opinions” or am I trying to please someone else or meet some other standard.

q What does it mean for Jesus to be Lord of the Sabbath and Lord of all our religious practices.

NOTE: The Sabbath is a tricky issue and not really the core subject of this lesson. Sunday is not a Christian version of the Jewish Sabbath. The Jewish Sabbath is what it has always been. We are not under that covenant, but we are under the spirit of the law that teaches that one day out of seven should be devoted to rest and refreshment, physically and spiritually. Questions over whether to keep Saturday as a Sabbath, Sunday as a day of rest, or the Lord’s day as a day of worship and some other day as a day off can be handled at a later time.

Verses 6-8 - 6 - On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 - 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. 8 - But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there.

The Message: © 2002, Peterson: (6-8)On another Sabbath he went to the meeting place and taught. There was a man there with a crippled right hand. The religion scholars and Pharisees had their eye on Jesus to see if he would heal the man, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath infraction. He knew what they were up to and spoke to the man with the crippled hand: "Get up and stand here before us." He did.

Some people try to avoid controversy; Jesus invites it by His actions and does so intentionally to make a point. He could have waited a day to heal the man with the shriveled hand or He could have done so privately, but He wanted to teach this lesson. The religious people just wanted to catch Him. Jesus was not afraid of being “caught.”

q First: do we ever try to sneak around to do what we know is right because we are afraid of criticism? How is Jesus’ example different?

q What are some other reasons Jesus healed the man then and there?

Verse 9 - 9 - 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?"

The Message: © 2002, Peterson: (9)Then Jesus addressed them, "Let me ask you something: What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?"

q What are some good things that can be done on a holy day of rest?

q Which do you think Jesus felt was more important – helping people or dotting the letters of the law? Why?

q What contemporary applications might there be for this principle?

Verses 10-11 - 10 - 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. 11 - But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The Message: © 2002, Peterson: (10-11) He looked around, looked each one in the eye. He said to the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out—it was as good as new! They were beside themselves with anger, and started plotting how they might get even with him.

q Did Jesus do good or evil on that Sabbath?

q How about the Pharisees and religious leaders?

q What would be some good things we could do on the Lord’s day?

q How would you state the key principle(s) of this lesson?

q How would you apply them?

Scriptures are quoted from the New International Version, (NIV), © 1984, International Bible Society