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Lesson 7: Jesus’s Galilean Ministry, Part 3 (Luke 6:12-49)
We have seen several responses to Jesus’s ministry. Some have followed Him as disciples. Some have joined the crowds of people to listen to Him and witness and/or experience His miracles. Others are becoming deeply entrenched as His opponents and want Him put to death.
Jesus Chooses Twelve Apostles, Teaches, And Heals (Luke 6:12-19)
6:12-16. Jesus prayed all night on the mountain before naming some of His disciples as apostles (an apostle was one sent on a mission by Jesus, Luke 9:1-6). Twelve were named apostles: Simon (Peter), Andrew (Peter’s brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James’s brother), Philip, Bartholomew (possibly Nathanael), Matthew (Levi), Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the Zealot, evidently a revolutionary), Judas (son of James, evidently Thaddaeus/Lebbaeus, Matthew 10:3), and Judas (Iscariot, likely indicating he was from the town of Karioth).
6:17-19. Jesus came down from the mountain with His apostles to a level place (perhaps a level place lower on the mountain or off the mountain). There, Jesus stood with a large crowd of His disciples and others from Judea, Jerusalem, Tyre, and Sidon. These heard what Jesus had done (Mark 3:8) and came to hear and be healed by Him. Jesus was working powerfully and everyone was trying to touch Him to be healed (compare with Matthew 9:20-22). It is uncertain whether the recorded teaching is the same as the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 5-7.
Blessings And Woes (Luke 6:20-26)
6:20-23. Those who possess these characteristics are in a state of blessedness in that they receive favor from God. Those who are poor (in spirit, Matthew 5:3; stripped of self-reliance to be humbly dependent on God) are blessed because they participate in the kingdom of God (Romans 8:16-17). Those who are hungry (for righteousness, Matthew 5:6; Psalm 42:1-2) are blessed because their spiritual pursuits will be fulfilled through Jesus (John 4:13-14; 6:32-35). Those who weep now (over sin, Matthew 5:4; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11) are blessed because they will laugh eternally due to the salvation their repentance will lead to (Revelation 21:4). Those who are hated, excluded, insulted, slandered, and otherwise persecuted for the sake of living for Christ (Matthew 5:9-12; 2 Timothy 3:10-12) are blessed and can rejoice because they will be counted among the faithful who have lived for God (including the prophets) and have a great reward in Heaven (1 Peter 4:12-19; Revelation 7:13-17).
6:24-26. Jesus contrasts the state of blessedness with woes of warning. In contrast with the blessedness of the poor (in spirit) is the woe to the rich (proud, self-satisfied) because they will have received whatever degree of comfort they will receive in this life. In contrast with the blessedness of the hungry (for righteousness) is the woe to the full (self-righteous) because they will be lacking in eternity. In contrast with the blessedness of the mourning (over sin) is the woe to those now laughing (enjoying sin) because they will be weeping throughout eternity. In contrast with the blessedness of the persecuted (for Christ’s sake) is the woe to those who have all people speak well of them (as the people did with false prophets in the Old Testament).
Treat Others With Love And Mercy (Luke 6:27-42)
6:27-36. Jesus expects His disciples to love everyone (Luke 10:25-37). Love requires selflessly acting in the best interest of the one being loved (John 3:16). So, Jesus teaches to love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, and pray for those who mistreat you (Romans 12:17-21; Luke 23:34). Rather than repaying people with evil, Jesus teaches to endure wrongs, be willing to give, and to do good to those doing evil against you (Matthew 5:38-48), doing to others as you want them to do to you (Matthew 7:12). For, if you only do good to those who do good to you and lend to those who will repay you, you are no different from sinners. However, you demonstrate that you are a child of God through doing good and showing mercy to the evil and ungrateful.
6:37-42. Jesus warns about making condemnatory, merciless, and hypocritical judgments (Matthew 7:1-5; James 2:12-13). For, the same standard used in judging will be given back (Matthew 6:14-15). Jesus then told a parable about the blind leading the blind and both falling into a pit (Matthew 15:13-14). One who is blind to his/her faults will be unable to properly lead another who is blind, as a disciple will become like his/her teacher when fully trained. Disciples of Jesus must then seek to become fully trained by Him and become like Him. So, if you are quick to see the faults in others while ignoring your faults (compared to a splinter and beam), you will be a hypocrite (Romans 2:17-24). Therefore, judgment must first look at the faults of your own life before being able to properly help others correct theirs (John 7:24)!
A Life That Pleases God (Luke 6:43-49)
6:43-45. A good tree does not produce bad fruit that is unfit to eat, and a bad tree does not produce good fruit that is fit to eat. So, you can know the nature of the tree by the fruit that it produces (Matthew 7:15-20; 12:33-37). You don’t get an edible fig from a thornbush or edible grapes from a bramble bush. This is the same as it is with a person’s life. Good fruit that pleases God in a person’s life will come from good that is stored up in that person’s heart (Proverbs 4:23), while evil fruit will come from evil that is stored up in the heart (Matthew 15:18-19) – including evil speech (Matthew 12:33-37).
6:46-49. Jesus calls for people to act on what He says, not just hear what He says (Matthew 7:21-23, 24-27; James 1:22-25). Jesus being Lord (Master) of your life requires more than just believing in and professing Him as Lord. It requires obeying Him (James 2:14-26)! The person who hears and obeys Jesus’s words is like someone who builds a house after digging deep and laying a strong foundation. This life will withstand the judgment that will test it, like the house withstands the storm (2 Corinthians 5:10). However, the person who hears and does not obey Jesus’s words is like someone who builds a house without establishing a strong foundation. This life will not withstand the judgment that will test it, like the house collapses in the storm (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).
Conclusion
Jesus has chosen twelve apostles and has now concluded a powerful sermon. In it, He has taught His disciples how to find favor with God and treat others with love and mercy. Ultimately, those who please God must obey what Jesus says.
